<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> WorldTribune.com: Mobile — Manhunt in Egypt as Al Qaida infiltrators target Sinai resorts

Manhunt in Egypt as Al Qaida infiltrators target Sinai resorts

Tuesday, April 8, 2008 Free Headline Alerts

CAIRO — Egypt has issued an alert of an imminent strike by Al Qaida on resort areas frequented by tourists during Passover.

Officials said Egyptian security forces have been ordered to search for at least two Sudanese nationals sent by Al Qaida to bomb government buildings or resort sites. They said the Sudanese infiltrated Egypt's Sinai Peninsula with a pickup truck laden with explosives.

The focus of the manhunt has been El Arish, the capital of North Sinai. Police and security forces established roadblocks and stopped vehicles inside and around the port city.

Egyptian security sources have assessed that the alleged Al Qaida plot was meant to target Israelis and other Westerners ahead of the Passover holiday in mid-April. Thousands of Israelis and other nationals were expected to vacation in Sinai during the week-long holiday.

Al Qaida's No. 2, Ayman Zawahri, has warned Cairo of fresh attacks. The sources said Hamas operatives, who infiltrated Sinai and Cairo in January and February 2008 might be working with Zawahri.

The last major bombing in Sinai took place in 2004. Since then, Egypt was said to have foiled several plots to attack Israeli and other tourists in the peninsula.

Egyptian security forces have also been battling the Muslim Brotherhood. About 300 Brotherhood members have been arrested in a series of raids in advance of nationwide municipal elections.

The regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has sought to block the banned Brotherhood from running in the elections. Egyptian courts have ordered the government to recognize Brotherhood candidates.

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