Sinai blasts: Pakistani suspects sought as Egyptian security chief resigns

Published July 25th, 2005 - 05:46 GMT

Egyptian police said Monday they were searching for six Pakistanis in their widening investigation into Saturday's attack that killed scores of people, at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Shiekh.

 

Police issued images of the six, who have been missing since several days before Saturday's blasts. The men appeared to be between the ages of 20 and 30.

 

According to local hospitals, Saturday's pre-dawn bombings killed at least 88 people; Egypt's Health Ministry put the death toll at 64. Hospitals said the ministry count does not include a number of sets of body parts.

 

South Sinai Gov. Mustafa Afifi said Monday that 17 foreigners, including Westerners and citizens from other Arab states, were killed in the attacks, in which the bombers are suspected of hiding their explosives under vegetables in the back of pickup trucks.

 

Two Italians and a Czech were confirmed killed, according to their governments, and a hospital official in Sharm said two Britons and two Germans were killed. Several Italians and Britons were unaccounted for, The AP reported.

 

On Monday, the security chief for the south Sinai stepped down, although officials stressed he was being replaced as part of "normal rotations."

 

 

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