2009 Khan el-Khalili bombing
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The 2009 Khan el-Khalili bombing was a bomb explosion that took place at 6:30 p.m. local time on 22 February 2009 in Khan el-Khalili, a souq in eastern Cairo, Egypt, killing a 17 year old French teenager and injuring 24 other people.[1] It was the first of the February 2009 Cairo terrorist attacks.
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[edit] Attack details
The attack took place just after dark in front of a cafe crowded with people gathering to watch a televised football match. There were conflicting reports that the bomb was thrown from a balcony or from a motorcycle,[2] but security officials reported that the bomb had exploded under a bench in a garden in the square. A second bomb failed to detonate and was defused.[3] The bombs weighed 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lb) and contained nails and metal fragments.[4] A 17-year-old French girl, who was among a group of 54 teenagers from Levallois-Perret near Paris, was killed. 17 French, one German and three Saudi tourists, as well as three Egyptians, were wounded.[1][3] Early reports suggest the explosive devices were "primitive".[3]
[edit] Responsibility
According to security sources, there was no immediate claim of responsibility by any militant group, but three suspects had been taken into custody.[2]
[edit] Reactions
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Prime Minister François Fillon condemned the attacks.[5]
The attack has raised fear of the return of the Islamic militants groups to target Egypt's tourism industry.[6] The attacks have also been speculated to be linked to anger over Egypt's role in the Gaza conflict.[2] The bombing has caused concern for Cairo authorities, who saw the tourist industry devastated by bombings and shootings by Islamic militants in the 1990s.
Hotels' revenues and occupancy rates fell resulting in the dismissal of workers.[7]
[edit] See also
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Wikinews has related news: Over a dozen injured, one killed in bomb blast in Egypt |
- 2004 Sinai bombings
- April 2005 Cairo terrorist attacks
- July 2005 Sharm el-Sheikh attacks
- 2006 Dahab bombings
- February 2009 Cairo terrorist attacks
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Cairo bombing not from known groups". Cable News Network. 2009-02-23. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/02/23/egypt.blast/. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
- ^ a b c "Suspects detained in Cairo blast". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7905032.stm. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
- ^ a b c Rasmussen, Will (2009-02-22). "French tourist killed, 20 wounded in Egypt attack". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE51L23S20090222. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
- ^ "'Small cell' behind Cairo blast". BBC NEWS. BBC MMIX. 2009-02-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7907655.stm. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
- ^ Hider, James; Charles Bremner (2009-02-23). "French school trip targeted by deadly Cairo bomb". Times Online. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5788519.ece. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
- ^ Fleishman, Jeffrey; Noha El-Hennawy (2009-02-22). "Cairo bombing kills French tourist". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-egypt-bombing23-2009feb23,0,1257981.story. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
- ^ Shahine, Alaa; Sarah A. Topol (2009-02-24). "Bomb attack adds to tourism woes in Egypt". Reuters. http://uk.reuters.com/article/marketsNewsUS/idUKLN69665220090224. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
