Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — The United States has warned its citizens of rampant
criminal attacks in Egypt.

The U.S. embassy in Cairo urged Americans not to travel to popular
tourist sites where they could be targeted by criminals. The embassy cited
the area around the Giza pyramids, said to lack security.

The U.S. warning sparked an angry response by the Islamist regime of
President Mohammed Morsi. Egyptian Antiquities Minister Ahmed Eissa issued a
statement in which he denied any attacks at Giza, and said 1,000 students
from the American University of Cairo had visited the pyramids on May 31
without incident.

“U.S. citizens should elevate their situational awareness when traveling
to the pyramids, avoid any late evening or night travel, utilize a
recommended or trusted guide, and closely guard valuables,” the embassy
said. “Though other tourist locations have not been brought to embassy
attention, these measures are also recommended at all crowded or popular
tourist sites.”

In a warning to U.S. citizens on May 31, the embassy reported increasing
attacks on visitors to the Giza pyramids. The statement said the majority of
the incidents stemmed from “over-aggressive vendors, though the degree of
aggressiveness in some cases is closer to criminal conduct.”

“Other more serious incidents have been reported involving vehicles
nearing the pyramids, with angry groups of individuals surrounding and
pounding on the vehicles — and in some cases attempting to open the
vehicle’s doors,” the embassy said. “While the motive is less clear —
possibly related to carriage operators wanting fares — it has severely
frightened several visitors.”

The embassy said police did not intervene to stop the attacks on
foreigners in Giza. The statement did not elaborate.

“A common theme from many of these reports is the lack of visible
security or police in the vicinity of the pyramids,” the embassy said.

“The area is totally secure,” Eissa said.

  Ahmed Eissa, American University of Cairo, Giza, lack of security near Egypt’s pyramids, U.S. tourists warned on incidents