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MODERN EGYPT

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« Reply #75 on: February 09, 2009, 08:20:59 am »









The second campaign of study of the temple of Osiris from Coptos, located at the north-eastern area of the temenos or sacred enclosure of Amun at Karnak, continued this year as part of a larger research programme on the sandstone chapels established around this Osireion.

François Leclère, who carried out the research, said that the aim of the study was to provide a better understanding as to which context the temple was built, which required a larger scale of fieldwork. In 2008, Leclère continued, the survey of sandstone and mud-brick walls of the building was completed, an architectural map of the building was drawn and the epigraphic and photographic survey of decoration and inscriptions of Ptolemy XII and Emperor Tiberius, which are still in situ inside the main axial room and on the doorjambs of the chapel, were carried out. Excavation work at the courtyard, especially at the evacuation of the fill of a large pit in the northern part and the exploration of the foundation trench of the entrance portal, had been completed, as well as the excavations of the surrounding areas of the temple found at the eastern and western sides located between the two enclosure walls of Amun.

"The complete cleaning of the north pit of the courtyard showed that it was dug in a massive, mud-brick structure earlier than the temple construction, the complex organisation of which was not still able to be recognised in detail without a fine re-examination," Leclère pointed out.

At the western end of the north wall of the courtyard foundations, a single reused block was brought to light, a column bearing the name of Amenirdis I, while the foundation pit of the main door of the sanctuary delivered most notably the lower part of a doorjamb bearing the name of the 25th Dynasty King Chabaka.

"Brushing the sand and debris of previous excavations off the mud-brick wall of the temple's façade revealed that a possible restoration was perhaps carried out on a part of the façade at the beginning of the Roman time," Leclère said. He continued that cleaning work at the eastern part of the temple had uncovered the existence of a former thick outer wall with a sort of a bastion. Studies on this wall revealed that it could be dated to before the 21st Dynasty and so probably went back to the New Kingdom, but its link with the former great enclosure wall of the Amun Temple was still not clear as a recent study seemed to be able to go back to the end of the 18th Dynasty, especially the reign of Amenhotep III or Horemhab rather than to the reign of Tuthmosis III.

Leclère said that more than 20 scattered blocks were consolidated, and the granite block coming from the bark chapel of Tuthmosis III and reused as the threshold of the main door of the temple was also restored, as well as the stelae of Amenhotep II and Taharqa. Several objects such as bronze coins and faience cobra heads found during cleaning work were also restored.
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« Reply #76 on: February 09, 2009, 08:23:52 am »









Archaeologist Emmanuel Laroze said that architectural studies were made of the Opet Temple, in particular those parts that contained pieces of wood in their construction. "It seems henceforth certain that stone blocks were forwarded with a ramp built against the north side of the monument," Larose said. At the courtyard a massif stone foundation was identified as the vestige of an earlier Ethiopian temple.

The restoration at this temple concentrated on the micro-sandblasting of the two main chambers of the temple. The ceiling, the architraves, the lintel and the capitals of the hypostyle hall were cleaned, while the consolidation of the ceiling of the offering room required a temporary scaffolding built in red brick. Metal pieces raised upon the intermediate floor served to maintain broken parts with the ceiling during the implementation of steel reinforcement. The stones of the ceiling were strengthened with a metal structure installed on the roof. The scaffolding was dismantled after this work of consolidation. The ceiling, which is darkened with soot, and five damaged small windows were also restored.

During the restoration of the foundation, a sandstone block belonging to a monument of Tuthmosis III and bearing a dedication text to goddess Opet was found within the structure. "It is a remarkable discovery for the history of the area," said excavator Guillaume Charloux, who added that it was the first time that the existence of the Opet Temple was mentioned under the reign of that Pharaoh. Numerous limestone blocks dating to the same period were also unearthed. Most of these were in a fragmentary state and some were decorated on both sides.

The Temple of Khonsu was also subjected to restoration, especially the area between the Opet and Khonsu temples where a stairway was found last year suggesting that both temples were associated. This part of the mission was devoted to the analysis of Khonsu Temple rituals and reliefs of divinities in order to understand the performance of rite in the temple. "Particular subjects in ramesside rooms were perfectly integrated into this ritual, but the question of their origin is still problematic," Egyptologist J C L Degardin said. He pointed out that comparison with other monuments built at the same period, for example the Medinet Habu Temple on Luxor's west bank, allowed a better understanding of particular architectural organisation.

The American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) is currently developing a restoration project for Khonsu Temple, while Chicago House is participating in the project by carrying out a survey on the reused blocks. "The nearness of both Opet and Khonsu temples associates naturally the two teams in a common project of training and developing the south eastern area of the Amun- Re Temple," Degardin said.

 


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« Reply #77 on: February 09, 2009, 08:26:37 am »





             









                                                                  Dig Days:


                                                               Bastet, the cat






By Zahi Hawass
Feb. 9, 2009

Tel Basta is an archaeological site in the city of Zagazig, in Sharqiya governorate. It was very important in ancient times because it was sacred to a goddess called Bastet, who took the form of a cat. Beginning in the Old Kingdom, several kings built temples there dedicated to Bastet. A large cemetery for cats was also found at the site.

When the ancient Egyptians worshipped an animal, they did not worship each individual one in itself. They worshipped what the animals represented -- they saw cleverness and wisdom, for instance, in the ibis and the baboon, and so they honoured these animals as representatives of Thoth, the god of wisdom.

We say in Egypt that cats have seven souls, and it seems that we have learnt this from the Pharaohs. Bastet was found at many sites other than Tel Basta. The most important was the site of Saqqara, where tombs that are now known as the "doors of the cats" were discovered. Thousands of mummified felines dating to the Late Period were buried there. Alain Zivie, a French archaeologist, cleared the remains of the cats and found that the tombs were actually unique burial places for high officials of the New Kingdom. One of these tombs belonged to Aperia, who was prime minister under Amenhotep III of the 18th Dynasty, the father of Akhenaten. Another belonged to the ambassador who prepared the peace treaty between Ramses II and the Hittites, while yet another belonged to Maya, the wet nurse of the golden boy, King Tut. In Maya's tomb we can see a unique scene showing her with the young Tutankhamun seated on her lap.

Many people have excavated at Tel Basta, including Shafik Farid and my friend Ahmed El-Sawi, who found an Old Kingdom cemetery for cats. Ahmed El-Sawi and I worked together for seven years excavating the site of Kom Abu Bellou. The site of Tel Basta is filled with the ruins of temples and statues, and is surrounded by houses, roads and buses that create serious sight pollution. We have decided to put a site management programme in place to preserve Tel Basta and to make it a place where people can go to understand its history and culture as well as to enjoy themselves. We have created a safe zone around the site, and we are reconstructing the temple. We have also re-erected a huge statue of Merit-Amun, the daughter of Ramses II. These interventions, along with the new visitors' centre that we have built to explain the site, will make Tel Basta accessible to tourists. In addition, we have built a storage facility for objects excavated in the area. We expect that in the coming three months we will be able to open the site to the public.

I always say that until now we have only discovered about 30 per cent of the ancient monuments of Egypt, and that the remaining 70 per cent are still buried under the ground. We never know what secrets the sands may reveal. Recently, we began excavating an area to the south of the main temple. This piece of land belongs to a citizen of the town of Zagazig, and we had to dig there to see whether anything might be hidden underneath it. To our surprise, in one of our trenches at a depth of about 180cm, we found a huge head lying on its back. It is incomplete, but beautiful. On top of the head we recorded chunks of limestone and sherds of pottery.

The head is made of red granite. Part of the short wig and diadem are visible, although the uraeus has been damaged. The details of the face are very well executed, and I can say that it is the most beautiful statue ever found at the site. When I first saw a photograph of it I could tell that it belonged to a statue that could have reached a height of about seven metres, and that the statue was royal. From the style of the features we know that it represents Ramses II, "the Great". Ramses II had his capital at another site in the Delta known as Piramesse, near Tell Al-Dabaa in Sharqiya, and was active in building at Tel Basta.

I believe that this open-air archaeological site will help visitors to learn about the history of this city of cats. It shows the importance of cats in the lives of the Pharaohs over thousands of years, and how the ancient Egyptians worshipped the cat called Bastet.

 


© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly.
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« Reply #78 on: February 09, 2009, 08:30:02 am »









                                                          A line-up of greats





Al Ahram Weekly
Feb. 9, 2009

The third annual day for archaeologists took place last week at the Cairo Opera House, with Nevine El-Aref attending

This year, the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) celebrated Archaeologists' Day differently from the two previous years. This event focussed on paying homage to those who had led the SCA over the last three decades and the role they played in exploring, enriching, documenting and preserving Egypt's heritage.

A number of specialists who had helped in restoring and exploring important archaeological sites were also honoured.

This year, as usual, the Main Hall of the Opera House became a temple for the day, embellished with an imposing façade, columns and statues of ancient Egyptian Pharaohs and deities. The stage had a special backdrop featuring the logo of the SCA, a cartouche bearing the ray of the sun god. Each side of the stage was lined with a large gypsum mound on which were engraved portraits of the nine previous SCA heads, along with the portrait of the late Ahmed Youssef, known as the sheikh of restorers.

In a similar way to the sound and light performance, each portrait told the story of the chosen person's professional life, achievements and the problems he had faced during his career.

During the ceremony the nine archaeologists and the restorer were honoured with a certificate and a golden collar. In the case of those who are no longer with us, the collar and certificate were received by a family representative. The nine were the late Victor Guirguis who held it in 1977, the late Shehata Adam, head of the SCA from 1978 to 1981, the late Fouad El-Orabi (1981 to 1983), the late Ahmed Qadri who occupied the position from 1983 to 1988, the late Sayed Tawfiq (1989 to 1990), Ibrahim Bakr (1991 to 1993), Abdel-Halim Noureddin (1993 to 1996), Ali Hassan (1996 to 1997), and Gaballa Ali Gaballa (1997 to 2002). The restorer Ahmed Youssef who was also honoured was responsible for the work on Khufu's solar boat on the Giza Plateau.

Hisham El-Leithi, the organiser of the ceremony, said that a book of photographs in colour reviewing the trail of their work in archaeology, along with the others honoured in the ceremony, was being printed and launched by the SCA.

 


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« Reply #79 on: February 09, 2009, 08:34:04 am »











                                                                Steeped in memory






AlAhram Weekly
Feb. 9, 2009

Serving up the Pharaohs' food by the plateful is meat and drink for one of Egypt's foremost cookbook writers, Magda Mehdawy. Gamal Nkrumah samples the delights of her Grandmother's Kitchen

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Dishes with an authentic Egyptian flavour.

Clockwise from left:

kofta (meat balls);
kushari (lentils with rice and pasta);
chopping molokhiya with a traditional makhrata and Mehdawy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Fragrance or fetor, some staples of ancient Egyptian cuisine such as fenugreek and garlic seem designed to be evocative. And, so are certain Egyptian cities. If you approach Alexandria by sea, you might get a hint of why this Mediterranean metropolis was once known as "The Bride of the Sea". Alexandria has a long tradition of exploiting the opportunities its location, as the gateway of Egypt, offers and not least in the versatile domain of victuals. This maritime city has, from time immemorial, been the heartland of the cosmopolitan influence on Egyptian cuisine (Byzantine, Ottoman, Levantine and modern European), but the picture is changing rapidly with the influx of American-inspired fast food outlets that first appeared in Cairo and now across the country.
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« Reply #80 on: February 09, 2009, 08:39:58 am »









Magda Mehdawy's recipes can seem beguilingly like a time warp, dishes from the days of the Pharaohs. Fast food, as far as she is concerned, is public enemy number one. She is an Alexandrian, nevertheless, and she readily acknowledges that the dishes of her hometown are as diverse as its colonial heritage and resulting ethnic mix. Alexandrians have absorbed a melange of Greek, Italian, Levantine and Ottoman cooking traditions to create a distinctive cuisine. But, then so are many modern Egyptian repasts.

To her credit, Mehdawy concocted a powerful cocktail of data for the preservation of her grandmother's recipes and she hints throughout her works at the highly personal nature of the art of cooking.

For millennia, the jewel in the crown of Egyptian cuisine was the samna baladi, ghee or clarified butter. The precious cream that oozed out of the ballooned udders of the barseem -fed cows and water buffaloes were, as it were, the big wheels that made Egyptian country cooking turn. Or, rather the fuel that oiled soups, stews, casseroles, desserts and pastries both sweet and savory.

Mehdawy, however, has an instinctive appreciation of the value of the old-fashioned Egyptian foodstuffs. "Even traditional sweets such as assaliya [molasses candy] and simsimiya [a sesame candy] have a good nutritional value. And so do doum [the fruit of the doum palm], kharoub [carob] and lib [the seeds of melons and pumpkins]. These are all nutritious traditional snacks," Mehdawy asserts. She also has an insatiable appetite for exploring and documenting the cuisine of Egypt and refuses to confine herself to her native Alexandria. In her quest for the authentic Egyptian cuisine she reserves a special side serving of Saidi (Upper Egyptian) and Nubian cuisine in her cookbooks.

For a Muslim, she is irrepressibly inquisitive about certain Coptic comestibles.

"The most ancient and authentic Egyptian edibles have been retained in traditional Coptic, Saidi and Nubian dishes," stating I suppose the obvious.
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« Reply #81 on: February 09, 2009, 08:41:23 am »









Vestiges of ancient aromas and flavours persist alluringly. There is something peculiarly pleasing about amateurish research about ancient Egypt that confirms widely held opinions based on shakier foundations. Many of the vegetables, fruits and grains common in contemporary Egyptian cuisine are radically different from the ones the ancient Egyptians used. Imagine modern Egyptian cuisine without tomato, rice or sugar. Tomato is an essential ingredient for the most popular modern Egyptian stews. Rice is perhaps second to none but wheat as a staple Egyptian grain. And, bread, made of wheat flour, is literally called eish, a corruption of the Arab word for life, in colloquial Egyptian. And yet, in ancient Egypt, bread made from wheat was the prerogative of the privileged. The poor had to make do with bread baked with the flour of lesser grains such as barley for instance. And, the ancient Egyptians had no refined sugar to sweeten their desserts with, either. Even so, some contemporary Egyptian desserts such as fenugreek paste, hilba maquda, most certainly have their roots in ancient Egypt.

It is perhaps for that particular reason that the American University in Cairo (AUC) Press invited Mehdawy to a book signing assemblage at the 41st Cairo International Book Fair. Not only did they publish an English translation of her bestseller My Egyptian Grandmother's Kitchen, but they will also publish another of her works later in the year on ancient Egyptian cuisine.

"I grew up watching my grandmother cooking most of these dishes. I enjoy preparing them for my family -- her three daughters Noha, Nermeen and Nancy," Mehdawy smiles demurely. She recalls how she declined many seemingly lucrative offers to start up catering businesses. "It was far more fun cooking traditional Egyptian dishes for her brother, Essam, living abroad whenever he visited. "He lives and works in Vienna and has a foreign wife, so he naturally misses home-cooking," she explains almost apologetically. So how did this archeologist by training turn to cooking and writing about food for a living? "The ancient Egyptians gave special importance to the kitchen. The room furthest away from the entrance of the house was always used as the kitchen. Among the kitchen equipment and cooking utensils were the all-important clay-covered oven for baking, lots of earthenware pots, mortars and pestles for grinding grain. They never slaughtered cows, only oxen," she elucidates. There are benefits, I suppose, to being outside the herd.

Mehdawy, nevertheless, is a trendspotter who aspires to become a trendsetter, to boot. "I pray to God that I have been successful in what I set out to do and that the final outcome is of value to anyone seeking traditional Egyptian food," she remarks wryly. "With the progression of scientific discovery in the field of nutrition, the value of our old- fashioned foods has become evident." In her scholarly manner she unearthed several recipes that date back to the days of the Pharaohs.

Mehdawy's masterpiece, My Egyptian Grandmother's Kitchen, was an instant bestseller for which she was awarded the Al-Ahram Appreciation Prize in 2004. It was arguably the most complete collection of Egyptian recipes ever assembled.
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« Reply #82 on: February 09, 2009, 08:43:40 am »









So far, so straightforward. Mehdawy's Gourmand winner Modern Egyptian Cooking sheds further light on contemporary Egyptian cuisine. The recipes the author selects are not confined to authentic time-honoured Egyptian dishes, but include those infused with foreign influence. Béchamel toppings, for example, are now widely used in Egyptian cuisine. The rich and unabashedly calorific béchamel is incorporated in pasta ( macarona forne ), fried eggplant ( musaqqaa bil bashamil ), stewed cauliflower, stuffed artichokes and sweet potatoes.

Rice, too, which was unknown to the ancient Egyptians, is prerequisite to many modern Egyptian dishes. Ruz muammar (rice baked with cream and milk and occasionally peppered with chunks of meat, giblets and other tasty morsels) is often reserved for festive occasions such as the Coptic Christmas. Shank and chicken fatta are also rice-based dishes topped with a garlicky tomato sauce.

Stuffed chitterlings, mumbar mahshi bil ruz wel khodra, with rice and greens are a popular and inexpensive dish. Mahshi, the Egyptian version of the Turkish dolma, is another rice-based dish that was introduced into the country with the Ottoman occupation in the 16th century. There are many varieties ranging from tomato, vine leaves, cabbage and lettuce, to bell peppers, aubergines, courgettes and onions.

Egypt stands astride three continents: Africa, Asia and Europe -- via the Mediterranean. Yet, its cuisine has evolved from its distinctive traditional roots. Even though the ancient Egyptians grew the olive, they preferred to cook using sesame oil. To this day most Egyptians, in sharp contrast to their Mediterranean neighbours, abjure the use of olive oil and stick to their time-tested ghee.

Egypt is a timeless land in more ways than one. The people's forebears since time immemorial cooked certain contemporary Egyptian dishes. Take kishk, for instance. This is a thick, creamy yoghurt and flour-based sauce much favoured by Upper Egyptians and identified as ancient Egyptian in origin. Peasant women from Upper Egypt can be seen selling dried kishk balls to passersby on the pavements of Cairo. The balls are then blended with milk, strained and set aside to thicken. Grated onion and crushed garlic, salt and pepper are added and served usually with chicken, but also occasionally with bean sprout ( kishk fuul nabit ) or prawns ( kishk gambari ).

Catfish casserole with cracked wheat ( tagin qaramit bil firik ) -- the deep-fried fatty freshwater fish is sandwiched between two thick layers of cracked wheat and baked in the oven after being drenched in tomato sauce sprinkled with crushed garlic.

This, like kishk, is presumed to be of ancient Egyptian origin.
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« Reply #83 on: February 09, 2009, 08:45:16 am »









Bisara khadra, crushed beans stewed with greens, is a delectable and ancient Egyptian soufflé-like peasant dish accented with deep-fried onion rings. Bisara safra bil basterma is a more exotic Alexandrine version of the dish with the addition of pastrami.

Stewed broad beans, popularly called fuul medames, cooked in a variety of methods being augmented with different spices and secret ingredients -- the latest being the addition of soya beans -- are the indisputable national dish of Egypt, or at least for the country's poor. It is affordable and highly nutritious and is a favourite breakfast dish. "This legume is a very important staple food since the days of the Pharaohs because of its high protein and mineral content," Mehdawy explains. "Recent scientific studies indicate that broad beans cooked, stewed or otherwise contain natural chemicals which impart feelings of satisfaction, happiness and contentment. They lessen anxiety and promote relaxation and induce sleep. They do so by causing the brain to release a large number of neuropeptides."

"Calcium-rich chickpeas are yet another legume consumed since the times of the ancient Egyptians." Ads abu gibba (brown lentils) are a nutritious alternative to the chickpeas and broad, or fava beans. Lentil soup, made from the bright orange-coloured split lentils, is a tasty winter dish in Egypt. High in fibre and protein and low in fat, lentils have the added advantage of cooking quickly, Mehdawy discloses.

Kushari -- brown lentils with chickpeas, rice and pasta -- is another popular and inexpensive dish. It is hard to get a table at the numerous kushari eateries and it is impossible to book ahead. Many Egyptian families prefer to prepare their own version of kushari at home and the same goes for the crushed bean patties, taamiya, also known in the Levant as felafel. "The re-use of boiled cooking oil amounts to a health hazard," the archaeologist turned cook and nutritionist adds.

" Firik bil akawi, cracked wheat with oxtail is a decidedly winter dish. If you are very adventurous try breaded fried brain, boiled brain and baked head of lamb or ox. Alexandria-style liver is considered a delicacy by Cairenes as well as Alexandrines."
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« Reply #84 on: February 27, 2009, 08:00:30 am »










                                               Egypt's crown jewels on show 






The Straits Times
Feb. 19, 2009
CAIRO

- EGYPT said on Wednesday it plans to put on public display crown jewels belonging the dynasty that ruled the country for 150 years until the fall of the monarchy in 1952.

The jewels have been kept under lock and key in 45 crates in the vaults of the Central Bank and will go on show in a museum in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, officials said.

Culture Minister Faruq Hosni said the jewels will be displayed to the public for the first time a museum where restoration work was launched three years ago but did not say when the exhibition would open.

Mr Hosni did not give details about the treasures that will be seen by the public for the first time, nor did he give any estimated value.

'These jewels, which were put in the central bank at the time of the 1952 revolution, will be shown at the Royal Family Museum of Jewellery,' a former royal palace that was transformed into a museum in 1986, Mr Hosni said.

Antiquities chief Zahi Hawass said bank officials will hand over the crates containing the jewels and other artefacts to a committee of experts, who will sort out and evaluate them.

Mohammed Ali headed a powerful dynasty that ruled Egypt from the 19th century until the fall of the monarchy in 1952, when his descendent, the flamboyant King Faruq, was deposed by army officers and forced into exile.

Mohammed Ali - an Albanian-born commander of an Ottoman army sent to drive Napoleon out of Egypt - was considered the founder of modern Egypt.



-- AFP
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« Reply #85 on: February 27, 2009, 06:24:45 pm »













                                            Grenade attack in Cairo bazaar kills 1, injures 17
         




 
Omar Sinan,
Associated Press Writer
FEB. 22, 2009

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=12164082&ch=4226714&src=news

– Video: Cairo blast kills 1, injures 17
 
CAIRO

– An attacker threw a grenade into a famed bazaar in medieval Cairo, killing a Frenchwoman and wounding at least 17 people — most of them foreign tourists, officials said.

The blast hit the bustling main plaza at the Khan el-Khalili, a 650-year-old bazaar packed with tourists buying souvenirs, jewelry and handicrafts. It was last attacked in April 2005, when a suicide bomber killed two French citizens and an American.

Sunday's blast outside a cafe sent a panicked rush of worshippers from the nearby Hussein mosque. Security officials said the attacker escaped, and within an hour, police found a second grenade and detonated it safely.

"I was praying and there was a big boom and people started panicking and rushing out of the mosque, then police came and sealed the main door, evacuating us out of the back," said Mohammed Abdel Azim, 56, who was inside the historic mosque. Outside, blood stained the marble paving stones.

A frantic woman screamed at police sealing off the area to let her look for her daughter.

A medic at the scene said the Frenchwoman died in the intensive care unit of the nearby Hussein hospital.

The wounded included three Saudis, 10 French, a German and three Egyptians, said Health Minister Hatem al-Gibali. He told the state news agency that the wounds were largely superficial, though one French victim needed surgery.

He said most would be released from the hospital by Monday.

The outdoor cafes and restaurants lining the square were packed with crowds, including a large group
of Irish tourists at Mohammed Said's Al-Sinousi Cafe.

"There was a big loud boom. Everybody ducked," the cafe owner said. "I ran out to figure out what's happening."

The blast sent crowds scrambling in all directions, he said.

A police colonel said the small explosion outside the cafe kicked up stone and marble fragments, which wounded the passersby. All the officials describing the blasts spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

Egypt fought a long war with Islamist militants in the 1990s, which culminated in a massacre of more than 50 tourists in Luxor in 1997. The rebels were largely defeated and there have been few attacks since in the Nile valley.

There were, however, a number of attacks in recent years against resorts in the Sinai Peninsula, including one in Sharm el-Sheik in 2005 that killed more than 60 people.

Tourism is one Egypt's major sources of foreign income.

One of the highest religious officials in the country, Sheik of Al-Azhar Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi condemned the attack calling it "cowardly and criminal."

"Those who carried out this criminal act are traitors to their religion and country and are distorting the image of Islam which rejects terrorism by prohibts the killing of innocents," he said.

Montasser el-Zayat, a lawyer who has represented Islamic extremists in the past, told the Arabic news channel al-Jazeera that the attack maybe linked to popular anger of the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip last month.

"The nature of the explosion looks like an act carried out by young, inexperienced and amateurs whose emotions were inflamed by the events of Gaza," said el-Zayat, who once had links with extremists groups himself. 
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« Reply #86 on: February 27, 2009, 06:26:11 pm »


















                                    Homemade Bomb in Cairo bazaar kills 1, injures 21





         
Omar Sinan,
Associated Press Writer
– Sun Feb 22, 2009

– Egyptian police and other rescue workers gather outside the historic Hussein mosque, pictured in background, … CAIRO – A homemade bomb exploded in a 650-year-old bazaar packed with tourists Sunday, killing a French woman and wounding at least 21 people, most of them foreigners.

Within an hour, police found a second bomb and detonated it safely. Security officials said three people were in custody.

"We were serving our customers as usual, and all of a sudden there was a large sound," said Magdy Ragab, 42, a waiter at a nearby cafe. "We saw heavy gray smoke and there were people running everywhere ... Some people were injured by the stampede, not the shrapnel."

An expert on Islamic extremism said the attack might have been a response to Israel's deadly offensive in Gaza last month.

Tourism is one of Egypt's major sources of foreign income and has been a target in past attempts to harm the government, which is now trying to negotiate a long-term Gaza cease-fire. Sunday's attack was the first on tourists in three years.

The blast hit the bustling main plaza at the Khan el-Khalili, a bazaar popular with tourists next to one of Cairo's most revered shrines, the Hussein mosque. Blood stained the stones in front of the mosque, where worshippers had been conducting evening prayers.

"I was praying and there was a big boom and people started panicking and rushing out of the mosque, then police came and sealed the main door, evacuating us out of the back," said Mohammed Abdel Azim, 56.

Montasser el-Zayat, a lawyer who has represented Islamic extremists, told the Arabic news channel al-Jazeera the attack may be linked to anger over the Israeli offensive.

"The nature of the explosion looks like an act carried out by young, inexperienced amateurs whose emotions were inflamed by the events of Gaza," said el-Zayat, who once had links with extremist groups himself.

Egypt has been trying to broker a long-term cease-fire between Israel and the Hamas militants who run Gaza. A fragile cease-fire has been in place since Israel's offensive left about 1,300 Palestinians dead.

Initial reports on Sunday's attack said a pair of grenades were thrown, but a government statement said the attack involved a homemade bomb placed under a bench in the main plaza.

A medic at the scene said the French woman died in the intensive care unit of the nearby Hussein hospital.

The wounded included three Saudis, 13 French, a German and four Egyptians, including a child, the government statement said. The health minister announced that the injuries were comparatively minor and most of the wounded would be released from the hospital by Monday.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy issued a statement expressing his condolences to the victim's family and stating his confidence that Egyptian authorities would "shed light on the circumstances of this tragedy."

Egypt fought a long war with Islamist militants in the 1990s, culminating in a massacre of more than 50 tourists in Luxor in 1997. The rebels were largely defeated, and there have been few attacks since then in the Nile valley.

But from 2004 to 2006, a string of bombings against resorts in the Sinai Peninsula killed 120 people, including in the Sinai's main resort of Sharm el-Sheik.

Cairo's Khan el-Khalili has been targeted before as well. In April 2005, a suicide bomber killed two French citizens and an American.

One of Egypt's highest religious officials, Sheik of Al-Azhar Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi, called Sunday's attack "cowardly and criminal."

"Those who carried out this criminal act are traitors to their religion and country and are distorting the image of Islam, which rejects terrorism and prohibits the killing of innocents," he said. 
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« Reply #87 on: February 27, 2009, 06:28:35 pm »











                                  French teen killed by Cairo bomb was on class trip






Associated Press Writer
Maggie Michael,
Feb. 23, 2009
CAIRO

– A French teenager killed in a bombing at a landmark Cairo bazaar was on a school trip with several dozen classmates, many of whom were wounded, the mayor of her hometown said Monday.

Sunday night's explosion from a homemade bomb hit the busy main square of the sprawling Khan el-Khalili market, which was packed with tourists, including the French high school tour group. The 17-year-old girl from a Paris suburb was killed, and at least 24 people were wounded, most of them French students.

The girl, whose name has not been released, was on a trip with 41 other teenage students, said Patrick Balkany, mayor of her hometown, Levallois-Perret, a suburb on Paris' northwest edge.

The students were nearing the end of their trip when the attack occurred, Balkany told RTL radio on Monday. He said some of the students has serious wounds, and other students suffered psychological shock from the "horror" of the experience.

"We are faced with a dreadful drama," Balkany said.

France's prime minister, Francois Fillon, denounced what he called an "odious attack."

"There are people who want to destabilize Egypt, which is one of the moderate countries in the region," Fillon told journalists in Paris. "It is an illustration of the violence that we must eradicate."

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing. Islamic extremists have in the past attacked tourists in an attempt to hurt Egypt's biggest source of income. Sunday's attack — the first on tourists in three years — comes as the tourist industry is already suffering under the global financial crisis, which has meant fewer visitors to the country.

The Khan el-Khalili, a 650-year-old bazaar of narrow, winding alleys. Dotted with old mosques and Islamic monuments and shops, is one of the top tourist spots in Cairo, often crowded with foreigners coming to shop and hang out in its numerous cafes. In April 2005, a suicide bomber in the market killed himself, two French citizens and an American.

Sunday's bomb was packed with TNT and explosive black powder, said Egypt's state-run news agency, MENA. A government statement said it was placed under a bench in a busy square in front of one of Cairo's most revered shrines, the Hussein mosque. Some security officials, however, said the explosive had been thrown into the square, and it was unclear which version was correct.

Security officials said three people were in custody. Authorities safely detonated a second bomb that was found. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.

Among the wounded were 19 French youths, a German, three Saudis and an Egyptian, according to a hospital report. Three French teenagers remained in the intensive care unit Monday. One had a lung injury, another broken legs and the third suffered a ruptured ear drum.

One of the injured Saudis said he and his two friends were heading toward the Hussein mosque when the blast went off behind them.

"The minute we stepped out of the taxi and walked a few steps, an explosion rocked the area," said Mohammed Behees, a 31-year-old teacher from Riyadh who was injured by shattered glass.

Egypt fought a long war with Islamist militants in the 1990s, culminating in a massacre of more than 50 tourists in Luxor in 1997. The rebels were largely defeated, and there have been few attacks since then in the Nile valley.

But from 2004 to 2006, a string of bombings against resorts in the Sinai Peninsula killed 120 people, including in the Sinai's main resort of Sharm el-Sheik.

Still, tourism has proven resilient after those attacks, with foreigners still pouring in for Egypt's resorts and antiquity. Tourism brought in $10.8 billion in fiscal 2007-2008, making it Egypt's top money earner.

Sunday's attack as well is likely to have little long-term impact, said officials at tour operator Travco Group and analysts at Cairo-based investment banks EFG-Hermes and Beltone Financial.

More damaging is the world economic meltdown, which is making many in Egypt's prime European markets decide to stay home rather than travel for vacation. Tourist arrivals are expected to decline by 18 percent in 2009 to roughly 10.5 million visitors, EFG-Hermes said.

___

Associated Press writers Tarek el-Tablawy in Cairo and Angela Charlton and Christine Ollivier in Paris contributed to this report.
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« Reply #88 on: February 27, 2009, 06:29:55 pm »










                                   Egypt arrests three over deadly bazaar bombing





         
Feb. 23, 2009
CAIRO
(AFP)

– Egyptian police said on Monday they have arrested three suspects over a bomb attack at a famed Cairo bazaar that killed a French teenager and wounded 25 people, most of them tourists.

Sunday's attack was the first deadly violence since 2006 against Westerners in Egypt, where tourism is a key foreign currency earner, but there has been no claim of responsibility.

The bomb blast ripped through a street lined with cafes and restaurants in Khan al-Khalili, a market dating back to the 14th century that is one of the Egyptian capital's main tourist attractions.

"Three people there were arrested on the site as suspects after the attack," a police official said on Monday. "Others are being questioned as witnesses."

The dead 17-year-old French girl was part of a tour group of 54 teenagers from the Paris region who were on a trip to buy souvenirs in the market before heading home on Monday.

"There was a very powerful explosion. Then screams and blood. We all started running," said Romy Janiw, 28, one of the seven adults accompanying the teenagers.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed "deep sorrow" over the attack, while Prime Minister Francois Fillon said his government "strongly condemns this criminal act whose blind violence shows its absurdity."

It was the first deadly attack on tourists in Cairo since a bombing in the same neighbourhood killed two tourists and wounded 18 in 2005.

A series of bombings killed scores of people in Red Sea resorts on the Sinai peninsula from 2004 to 2006 that were blamed on militants loyal to Al-Qaeda.

Sunday's attack took place outside a hotel across the square from the Hussein mosque, one of Egypt's oldest places of worship.

It wounded 17 French tourists, including one seriously, as well as a 37-year-old German, three Saudis and four Egyptians, officials said.

Mohammed Ismail, who worked in a nearby cafe and was lightly wounded in the attack, said he was watching a football game in a cafe and had stepped out onto the street before the bomb exploded.

"I didn't see the bomb," he told AFP after leaving hospital. "The force of the blast threw me. All I could see was grey smoke. Then I fell unconscious."

Witnesses said the force of the explosion shook the surrounding buildings. "The building shook and the books fell of the shelf," said a woman who worked in a store that sold Korans.

But early Monday, shops and restaurants around the Hussein mosque square had reopened for business and customers began trickling in.

There were conflicting accounts about how the attack was carried out.

Witnesses and a police official told AFP two rudimentary bombs were thrown from a rooftop overlooking the street. The second device failed to detonate and was blown up in a controlled explosion, a police source said.

A Western diplomat who accompanied the wounded to hospital said they told police investigators that the bombs had been hurled at them from a rooftop.

But Amin Rady, a member of the Egyptian parliament national security committee, told AFP that police suspected that a "primitive" bomb had been placed under a concrete bench, which was shattered by the explosion.

The head of Cairo's Al-Azhar University -- Sunni Islam's highest religious authority -- condemned the bombing.

"Those who carried out this criminal act are traitors to their own religion and their nation, and they are distorting the image of Islam which rejects terrorism and bans the killing of innocents," Sheikh Mohammed Sayyed al-Tantawi said.

Regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia, whose nationals were among the injured, "strongly condemned" the attack, the official SPA news agency reported.

Egypt was struck by a spate of deadly attack on Western tourists by Islamic militant groups in the 1990s that dealt a savage blow to the vital tourism sector.

Last year, 13 million tourists visited Egypt, earning 11 billion dollars in revenue. The industry also employs 12.6 percent of the workforce.
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« Reply #89 on: February 27, 2009, 06:33:54 pm »












                                 Egypt arrests suspects over deadly bazaar bombing






Alain Navarro
– Mon Feb 23, 2009
CAIRO
(AFP)

– Egyptian police said on Monday they have arrested three suspects over a bomb attack at a famed Cairo bazaar that killed a French teenager and wounded 25 people, most of them tourists.

Sunday's attack was the first deadly violence since 2006 against Westerners in Egypt, where the tourism industry is a vital foreign currency earner.

The bomb blast ripped through a square lined with cafes and restaurants in Khan al-Khalili, a market dating from the 14th century that is one of the Egyptian capital's main tourist attractions.

"Three people there were arrested on the scene as suspects after the attack," a police official said. "Around 15 others are being questioned as witnesses."

There has been no claim of responsibility but analysts said the attack could have been the work of an isolated Islamist cell.

"This act highlights social and political unease but appears to be the work of an individual or a group acting in isolation," said Amr Shubaki, a researcher at the Al-Ahram centre of strategic studies.

However, General Fuad Allam, former head of the state security service, warned the attack could herald "a new wave of terrorism in Egypt," spurred by the global financial crisis and the region's problems.

The dead 17-year-old French girl was part of a tour group of 54 teenagers from the Paris region who were on a trip to buy souvenirs in the market before heading home on Monday.

Most have been flown home but three remain in hospital, officials said.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said he hopes the three can return to France on a hospital aircraft on Tuesday.

"There was a very powerful explosion. Then screams and blood. We all started running," said Romy Janiw, 28, one of the adults accompanying the teenagers.

It was the first deadly attack on tourists in Cairo since a bombing in the same neighbourhood killed two tourists and wounded 18 in 2005.

A series of bombings from 2004 to 2006 killed a total of 130 people in Red Sea resorts on the Sinai peninsula that were blamed on militants loyal to Al-Qaeda.

Sunday's attack took place outside a hotel across the square from the Hussein mosque, one of Egypt's oldest places of worship, and witnesses said the force of the blast shook the surrounding buildings.

It wounded 17 French tourists, one of them seriously, as well as a 37-year-old German, three Saudis and four Egyptians, officials said.

There were conflicting accounts about how the attack was carried out.

Witnesses and a police official told AFP two rudimentary bombs were thrown from a rooftop overlooking the street. The second device failed to detonate and was blown up in a controlled explosion, a police source said.

Kouchner, speaking on on the sidelines of a meeting in Brussels, said: "It is very disturbing to think that some people on the rooftops threw very deadly bombs at random into the crowd."

However, the prosecutor's office said a homemade bomb went off under a concrete bench, creating a 30 cm (one foot) crater and shattering the bench.

The attack drew condemnation from Muslim leaders and Middle East governments including regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia, whose nationals were among the wounded. Its rival Iran said the attack served only the interests of archfoe Israel.

The United States strongly condemned the attack. "We will continue to work closely with the government of Egypt to do what we can to support them in their efforts to fight terrorism," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood.

Sheikh Mohammed Sayyed al-Tantawi, head of Cairo's Al-Azhar University -- Sunni Islam's highest religious authority -- branded those who carried out the bombing as "traitors to their own religion and their nation."

Last year, 13 million tourists visited Egypt, earning 11 billion dollars in revenue. The industry also employs 12.6 percent of the workforce.

Egypt has been afflicted by violence throughout its modern history. President Anwar Sadat was assassinated by an Islamist group in 1981 and his successor Hosni Mubarak has been the target of a dozen attacks in 28 years in power.

The country lives under a state of emergency, allowing arbitrary detention, which has been repeatedly renewed pending finalisation of an anti-terror law.
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