Posted on 10/07/2004 6:52:11 PM PDT by Destro
36 dead, toll rising in jihadist attack on Red Sea resorts
At least 36 have died and over 114 are reported injured in a series of attacks on resorts popular with Israelis in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
All of the reported injuries so far resulted from a large blast at the Hilton Hotel in the Taba resort, only a few hundred metres across the Israel-Egypt border on the Red Sea.
The Taba attack was followed closely by additional explosions -- about which little has yet been reported -- at the nearby towns of Ras Hasatan and Nuweiba.
Egyptian authorities at first claimed that the Taba explosion had been caused by gas cyclinders stored inside the hotel but Israeli sources said a car or van packed with explosives had detonated at the front of the hotel at about 10 pm local time.
"The whole front of the hotel has collapsed. There are dozens of people on the floor, lots of blood. It is very tense," witness Yigal Vakni told Israel's Army Radio, as reported on Fox News. "I am standing outside of the hotel, the whole thing is burning and they have nothing to put it out with."
The toll of murdered and injured is certain to rise as many victims are reported to be trapped in the Hilton's rubble.
No groups have yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but the method and coordination of the attacks have raised speculation that the terrorists may have been more sophisticated than the several jihadist groups normally associated with attacks on Israel.
Early this month, Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's second in command after Osama bin Laden, called for jihadists to undertake strikes against the "anti-Muslim world coalition" and said "defending Palestine is a duty for all Muslims."
That has led some to speculate that the attack may have been launched by an al Qaeda linked cell from within Egypt.
Terrorist organisation Hamas, however, had said earlier this month that it would not confine its attacks to Israel, but would instead attack Israeli interests wherever in the world they might be found.
Area and terror experts interviewed on CNN noted that, in any event, the government of Egypt would not tolerate attacks by jihadists on its soil against Western or Israeli interests.
Many of the dead and wounded have been ferried by Israeli ambulances and helicopters to the Yoseftal Hospital in Eilat, just across the border, CNN reported. At first, Egyptian authorities had denied those ambulances the right to cross the border, but as the seriousness of the situation became clear, those prohibitions were dropped.
Last month, the Israel government had warned citizens to steer clear of the popular resort area on the Red Sea due to "concrete" indications that there were terrorist attacks being planed for the area.
According to CNN, citing Israel authorities, as many as 10,000 Israelis are vacationing in the area.
Vactioners have used the area for many years to celebrate the traditional Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which marks the transition from the Days of Awe that began with Rosh Hashanah (the new year) and ends with Yom Kippur (the day of atonement).
8-Oct-2004
What does this mean?
Why can't the Israeli's go for a nice little holiday to the beautiful Sinai peninsula without the threat of violence ?
Watch the divine fury pour forth from the Holy Land...
Actual Washington Post Headline:
Massive explosion tore off the front of a seaside hotel; some officials suspect Israeli tourists were targeted.
I think your prediction is a bit late:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16184-2004Oct7.html
George W. Bush will be reelected by a margin of at least ten per cent
Election 2004 threads on FR
These terrorists killing innocents breaks my heart Destro.
I don't think we're allowed to post Getty images.
If you are a jew by religion, by birth or by distant relatives.... they hate you for being a JEW. If you have jewish relatives, no matter how far back YOU are a jew to them and they want you DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD.
If you are a Christian, who worships a JEW as God Almighty, you are nothing better than a jewish dog in sheeps clothing. and they want YOU DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD.
if you are a muslim and you are not muslim enough, then you are a JEW COLLABORATOR and they want you DEAD DEAD DEAD...
they are nothing more than NAZI's in burquas.
and they are clearly and manifestly DEMON POSSESSED MONSTERS to a degree that is unprecedented in human history.
Jewish schools in NYC have policemen on detail.
Leave Mrs.Kerry out of this.
You mean the holy muslim BLASTING month...
And yet Jews in the US continue to support Kerrie and Silkie in large numbers.
That's correct.
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