Bomb Blasts Rock Cairo
BY MOSTAFA MEDHAT
Bomb blasts continued for the second week to rock Cairo and other regions in the country, hitting key military and civilian areas.
On Tuesday, two separate attacks against a military barracks and checkpoint in El-Arish killed a military officer and a civilian, and injured several people.
and various disctsuch as the High Court building in Ramses Square and the headquarters of a natural gas company in the Fifth Settlement.
Another improvised explosive device went off in a deserted space near a Maadi fire station, and a similar device detonated in front of a police station in Al- Nozha; both caused no injuries.
Ministry of Health Spokesman Hossam Abdel-Gaffar confirmed that two civilians were killed and none were injured in the downtown explosion.
However, security forces told Middle East News Agency (MENA) that the High Court bomb was detonated remotely, injuring three police officers and two army conscripts.
The Interior Ministry said that the bomb was placed under a car parked right in front of the courthouse. The Ramses metro station and a police checkpoint are located nearby.
The Interior Ministry has stated that the police are investigating the matter and conducting forensic analysis to find whoever is involved.
Meanwhile, “Revolutionary Punishment” – a group believed to be affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood – claimed responsibility on its Twitter
account for the attack, saying they targeted the checkpoint. MENA reported that earlier that day General Prosecutor Hisham Barakat, who was inside the building at the time of the explosion, had announced the prosecution of those related to crimes against the state under the new anti-terrorism law.
“There is no room for terrorism or terrorists in Egypt,” said Barakat in a statement made to the press.
Hundreds crowded the scene after the incident, including Cairo’s governor Galal El Saed who came to examine the aftermath of the explosion.
The last time Cairo’s High Court was attacked was in October 2014 when a car bomb exploded in front of the courthouse injuring 14 people.
In an interview with Al Ahram- Online, Mahmoud Kotri, a former brigadier general and security expert, accused the Muslim Brotherhood and whoever is working with the group of responsibility for the recent wave of bombings throughout Egypt.
“There is an expansion of terrorism in quantity, not quality,” Kotry said.
“I think the Brotherhood’s decision to increase bombings and further terrorize civilians that way came after they grew desperate amid a sustained crackdown on them.”
