APRIL 25 UPDATE ON DAHAB TERROR ATTACKS

UNCLAS CAIRO 002438 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC EG SUBJECT: APRIL 25 UPDATE ON DAHAB TERROR ATTACKS REF: CAIRO 2437 ¶1. (U) The official numbers of dead and injured following the April 24 triple bombing at the Dahab seaside resort in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, remain in flux, with State Security sources informally sharing their count of 24 killed and upwards of 100 injured. The Embassy is not aware of any Amcit fatalities, but there are currently four injured Amcits, the three more seriously injured having been transferred to Cairo for medical attention. We understand all three are in stable condition. Unconfirmed media reports have stated that 18 Egyptians and six foreigners were among those killed. The spokesman for the Prime Minister reported publicly that 87 were injured, including 29 foreigners. ¶2. (U) In a series of telephone exchanges with senior Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials late April 24 and April 25, the Embassy extended condolences on the loss of life in Dahab and extended an open offer of assistance to the GOE to address the crisis. Assistant Minister for American Affairs, Ambassador Salama Shaker, expressed to the DCM her appreciation for the U.S. offer and pledged to communicate the information to her minister. ¶3. (U) President Mubarak condemned the Dahab attacks in an April 25 holiday speech to commemorate Egypt's "Sinai Liberation Day" national holiday. Despite varying reports on the number of killed/wounded, local media coverage of the attacks has been quick and comprehensive, carried by all major television and newspaper outlets. We understand that Information Minister Al-Fikky immediately channeled GOE staff and resources to Dahab to ensure that news coverage of the event was not dominated by foreign media outlets. April 25 papers also carried world-wide condemnations of the attack, including the remarks of President Bush, President Chirac, President Mahmoud Abbas, and from the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority. ¶4. (U) Media reports of April 25 also indicate that Egyptian police have so far arrested 10 individuals in and around the Dahab resort area. Ministry of Interior contacts shared that these arrests reflect the start of a drag-net operation to collect information on the Dahab attacks. RICCIARDONE