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Africa: North
Egypt announces arrests of Sinai bombers
2004-10-26
Egypt announced on Monday the arrests of five suspects involved in the suicide-bomb attacks in Sinai three weeks ago, and claimed that the mastermind was a Palestinian originally from Gaza who died with his accomplice in the Taba Hotel blast.
How clumsy of him! How convenient for the Egyptians!
There was no mention of al-Qaida involvement in the reports. Israeli security officials said that while a joint investigation is being carried out by both countries, they have yet to receive an official report from Egyptian officials concerning the latest developments and were therefore unable to comment. So far the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, claiming to be an al-Qaida affiliate, published three statements claiming responsibility for the attacks. The latest claim of responsibility was published last week, said Dr. Yoram Kahati, research fellow at the International Policy Institute for Counterterrorism at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya. "In the statement the group vowed to continue launching attacks against Israel. I believe it is only the beginning and not the end," he told The Jerusalem Post. Kahati stressed that while there is no conclusive evidence linking al-Qaida to the attacks, it bears all the hallmarks. "It clearly required a long process of complex intelligence and preparations," he said, adding that the terrorists required local assistance from either Beduin in Sinai or Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

On Monday, the Egyptian Interior Ministry claimed that five Egyptians had been arrested and two suspects remained at large. Egyptian officials also said that Ayad Said Salah, a Palestinian originally from Gaza who lived in Sinai, masterminded the attacks to avenge Israel's actions against the Palestinians. According to the report, Salah had a criminal past and had become a religious fanatic with ties to terrorist organizations in Gaza.
But we repeat ourselves.
The report says Salah, together with an Egyptian identified as Suliman Ahmed Salah Flayfil, had planned to detonate the bombs at the Taba Hilton hotel and leave the area, but they were killed when the bombs blew up prematurely due to a faulty activator. An Associated Press report said the two were identified by DNA tests.

The five caught by Egyptian security forces were described as having low-key roles in the plot and were responsible for purchasing the explosives and cars used in the attacks. They were identified as Muhammad Ahmed Suweirky, known to deal in stolen cars; Ihab Mahmoud Eid Mosbah, who worked in an electrical appliance store and is accused of helping to steal one of the vehicles used in the attacks; Hamdan Salameh Salem al-Ahmar, who operates a Sinai tourist camp on the Gulf of Aqaba and is suspected with providing information on the camp sites; Muhammad Gaiz Sabah Hussein, who works at the Egyptian government's Irrigation Department in central Sinai and is accused of preparing the explosives used in the cars and providing the timing devices; and Muhammad Abdullah Raba Abdullah, the owner of a metal workshop in El-Arish who is believed to have placed the bombs in the cars.

The two suspects who remain at large were identified as Suliman's brother Muhammad Ahmed Salah Flayfil and Hamed Gamma Gomeh. They are believed to have driven the vehicles that blew up at the Ras a-Satan campsite. Muhammad worked in the El-Arish area and Gomeh worked as a driver. Both were described by the Egyptian authorities as being involved in "illegal activities." According to the report, the three cars used in the bombings were stolen and the bombs were prepared with explosives and spare parts from washing machines and other equipment.
Posted by:Fred

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