Minister of Interior Mohamed Ibrahim said the perpetrators of the assassination attempt on his life on 5 September have been identified.
In a phone interview with al Hayat 2 satellite channel on Monday, he said that their identities will be uncovered within days. Asked if they are Egyptians or foreigners, he said, “They are more foreigner than Egyptian,” refusing to give any further details.
A car bomb had exploded while the minister’s convoy was passing in Mostafa al-Nahhas street in Nasr City, close to the minister’s house. The minister was on his way to his office in downtown Cairo.
He also revealed that during the 40th anniversary celebrations of the October War victory on Sunday, police forces managed to foil “villainous operations,” adding that there were attempts to attack army and police forces.
“The Brotherhood thought they could break the army and the police on 6th October but they have lost their ability to mobilize supporters in the street. Those who were in the streets were not from the Brotherhood– some of them were while the rest were paid.”
Commenting on the recent RPG attack on a telecom facility in Maadi, he said that the attack was facilitated by the fact that weapons have been smuggled throughout Egypt over the past two years.
In comments on the car bomb explosion in South Sinai on Monday, which killed five people and injured 50 others, the minister said, “Security procedures are extremely tight from Sharm el-Sheikh onwards. What happened was a suicide attack that could happen anywhere.”
He added that the ministry is studying the installation of surveillance cameras to secure tourist areas, but added that this would be too costly.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
