Sharon, Mubarak pledge unity
(VIDEO) Prime minister sends condolences to Egyptian people for losses in Sinai attacks; holiday resort flooded with jumpy security forces, as policemen blame 'extremists' and 'local traitors' for blasts
(VIDEO) SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon telephoned Egyptian president Husni Mubarak on Saturday, and expressed his and the Israeli people’s condolences for the 88 victims of the terror attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Sharon told Mubarak that one should "never compromise with terror which is motivated by extreme Islamic forces. They must be fought all the way.”
Mubarak thanked the prime minister and said that “Israel and Egypt will continue to work together against the extremists.”
The streets of Sharm el-Sheikh, the holiday resort that absorbed a major terror strike Saturday night in which at least 88 people were killed and 200 injured, resembled a military base.
At 16:00 in the afternoon, only security personel were visible on the streets. They were joined by media crews and a few tourist.
Hundreds of security men, perhaps thousands, scanned the streets of Sharm, the number one Middle Eastern holiday resort, as the Egyptians like to call the city.
Egypt’s interior minister, Habib Adli, headed an entourage of terror experts who toured the sites where the explosions took place.
Most of the businesses were empty, and the pressure and impatience felt by the Egyptian security forces was visible in their facial expressions, especially when president Husni Mubarak came to visit the damaged sites.
The Egyptian president was surrounded by heavy security, and roads in the area remained cordoned off long after his visit.
“We won’t surrender to the blackmail of the terror, and we won’t compromise with it,” Mubarak said upon his return to Cairo.
“This cowardly crime was meant to harm the security and stability of Egypt, to strike at civilians, guests and tourists. The ugly face of terror continues to spread in the world and affect innocents. The terror won’t cause us to deviate from our path of development for the people of Egypt, for peace, and for regional stability. Our struggle against terror will continue with full might and determination.”
Journalists and taxi drivers who insisted on trying to pass police roadblocks were met with aggressive security forces. Access to hotels via vehicles is now impossible.
Guards at dozens of the hotels were on full alert, and tour groups were escorted by men with semi automatics. “Its not because of the attacks,” one of them said, “its always been like this.”
Outside of the Movenpick Gulf hotel, Egyptian policemen said that “Egyptians didn’t do this. These are extremists who may have been helped by a few traitors and pathetic locals.”
The term “locals” was a reference to the Sinai Bedouins, a few of whom have been arrested and accused of aiding the first terror Sinai attacks in Taba, Dahab, and other areas.
