Egyptian resort town blasts kill dozens

More than 100 injured as investigation intensifies

Saturday, July 23, 2005 Posted: 0729 GMT (1529 HKT)

(CNN) -- Deadly explosions that rocked the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Saturday may be linked to a series of bomb blasts last October in the Red Sea resort of Taba, Egypt's interior minister said.
"We are trying to find out who committed these crimes," Habib al-Adli told reporters while viewing the extensive damage at the Ghazala Garden Hotel in Naama Bay, a popular tourism area of the city on the Sinai Peninsula. "It is likely that they have some relationship to the Taba operation."

At least 59 people were killed and 111 wounded when at least three explosions early Saturday rocked Sharm el-Sheikh.

In Egypt's northeastern Sinai in October, attackers struck the Taba Hilton and nearby camping areas around Ras al Sultan and Tarabeen in a series of bomb blasts, killing 34 people. It was Egypt's last major bombing. (Full story)

Al-Adli said it was not yet known who was behind the Saturday attacks, "but whoever it is, or whatever groups they belong to, this is ugly terrorism, and there's no humanity or values or feel of belonging in these acts."

Asked whether he thought the blasts might be related to Islam, he replied, "What Islam? This terrorism has nothing to do with any religion, because all religions do not allow aggression and do not allow killing civilians in innocence. Those don't belong to Muslims. They are a gang of criminals."

At least one of Saturday's explosions, at the city's Old Market, was caused by a car bomb, the ministry said. Al-Adli said a second explosion, in a Naama Bay parking lot and shuttle stop, resulted from an explosive device that had been left there.>>>>continued

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