Egypt: Attacks related to Bin Laden's tape

(VIDEO) At least 23 people killed, 62 wounded in three simultaneous bombings in Sinai's tourist resort of Dahab; 'there was no concrete warning,' Egyptian official tells Ynet

Ali Waked, Dahab|Last update: 04.25.06 , 08:39

VIDEO - For the third time in two and a half years, while still trying to recover from the damages of the previous terror attack, Egyptians woke up Tuesday to a harsh and bleeding reality. On the morning following the series of terror attacks in the tourist resort of Dahab, authorities are trying to help the many people hurt and evaluate the damages caused by the explosive devices.

Destruction (Video: Reuters)

Three simultaneous bombings rocked Dahab on Monday at around 8:15 p.m., at a restaurant, a cafeteria, and a supermarket. According to the Egyptian Interior Ministry, 23 people were killed in the attack, three of them tourists, including a German child. Another 62 were wounded, most of them local residents and about one-third of them tourists.

Eyewitnesses, including a number of Israelis, described hearing huge blast sounds in the serene town, and then witnessing difficult sights which Israelis have become so accustomed to: Body parts scattered in the street, injured people crying for help and ambulances rushing to the scene of the attack and then to hospitals.

There were no reports of Israelis hurt in the attacks, apart from three who suffered shock and returned to Israel without receiving medical treatment.

Dahab terror attack (Photo: Reuters)

Egyptian security officials in Dahab told Ynet that there was no concrete warning on plans to carry out terror attacks in the area. As in the two previous waves of terror, Monday's attack was also composed of three different bombings.

Only recently, Egypt proudly announced that it had succeeded in eliminating global terror cells in Sinai. It is possible that the timing of the bombings, ahead of the Davos economic convention in Sharm al-Sheik, was not coincidental and was aimed at seriously harming the tourism, economy and global appearance of Egypt, where a continuous and stubborn battle is taking place between the moderate Islam and fundamentalists.

Photo: Yaron Brenner

Western security officials mentioned al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden's audiotape aired on the al-Jazeera network Sunday, saying that coded messages may have been integrated into the tape.

About 1,711 Israelis and another 1,000 Jews were present in the Sinai area Monday. The Foreign Ministry's situation room in Jerusalem is carefully following the Dahab events, and representatives were sent to the area in order to provide Israeli citizens with assistance if needed.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Monday evening and offered his condolences in the wake of the attack. Olmert told Mubarak Israel and Egypt must join forces to combat global terror. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni also called her Egyptian counterpart and the two discussed the attack.

The Foreign Ministry offered Israel's assistance in the wake of the blasts, but Egypt declined.