AL-AZHAR BOMBER IDENTIFIED, CO-PLOTTERS ARRESTED:

UNCLAS CAIRO 002971

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC PGOV PTER KPAO EG
SUBJECT: AL-AZHAR BOMBER IDENTIFIED, CO-PLOTTERS ARRESTED:
EGYPTIAN MEDIA THEMES, APRIL 11 TO 17


1. Summary: Egyptian Television (ETV) reported the
identity of the Al-Azhar terrorist bomber on April 11. The
following day, photos of the bomber's blast-damaged face
appeared above the fold in all of Egypt's major newspapers,
along with Interior Ministry claims that "jihadi"
publications had been found in his home. On April 17, ETV
reported the identities of four Egyptians suspected of
planning the bombing. ETV talk show commentators April 16
and 17 focused on problems that might lead some youths to
become suicide bombers. Egypt's first government-sponsored
human rights report received only minor coverage. Print
media continued to follow Muslim Brotherhood and Kifaya
pro-reform protests. End summary.


2. Al-Azhar bomber identified: The suicide bomber who
struck the Al-Azhar neighborhood on April 7 was identified
by name on ETV on April 11 as Hassan Rafat Ahmed Bashandy,
reportedly an engineering student, born in 1987, from
Cairo's low-income Shoubra Al-Kheima neighborhood. Banner
headlines and photos of his blast-damaged face appeared in
all major Egyptian papers the following day. Also widely
published were photos of his family's apartment and
interviews with his neighbors. Some reports cited Interior
Ministry claims that "jihadi" CD-ROMs and publications on
bomb making had been found in his home. Practically all
commentary condemned the bombing, but some opposition
papers claimed "foreign involvement." For example, the
lead headline in opposition Al-Wafd (circulation: 200,000)
on April 14 read: "Foreign plotting and funding in the Al-
Azhar attacks," with the subtitle: "Security experts point
to signs of Mossad and American planning." In the
afternoon of April 17, ETV reported a Ministry of Interior
statement claiming that the bomber was linked to an
extremist group composed of four other Egyptians, three of
whom had been arrested. Several commentators appearing on
ETV talk show programs on April 16 and 17 examined what
influences might induce youths to become suicide bombers,
e.g. poverty, despair, injustice, and images carried via
the Internet.


3. Egyptian human rights report released: The government-
sponsored Egyptian National Council for Human Rights (NCHR)
released its first human rights report on April 11 to a
limited audience. Dr. Ahmed Kamal Aboul Maged, NCHR Vice
Chairman, appeared on ETV's program Al-Bayt Baytak ("Make
Yourself at Home") on April 13 to explain the report and to
restate NCHR's position against Egypt's Emergency Law.
(Comment: Broader coverage is likely once the report is
released to the general public. Currently, it is only
available upon written request. End comment.)


4. Pro-reform demonstrations covered: The opposition
press covered student demonstrations in favor of reform and
the "liberation of Palestine and Iraq" at Assiut University
on April 13. Pan-Arab press and Egyptian pro-reform
websites continued to cover planned Kifaya demonstrations,
scheduled nationwide for April 27, and ongoing pro-reform
Muslim Brotherhood demonstrations.

GRAY