The Egyptian Interior Ministry announced yesterday that 40 terrorists were planning to carry out a series of attacks targeting Egyptian state institutions, especially the economic, tourist industry, armed forces, police and Christian places of worship in a number of Egyptian regions.
In the wake of an attack on a tourist bus in Giza that killed three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian tour guide, the Ministry of the Interior said in a statement: "Several security strikes have been carried out and the plots of these elements were simultaneously attacked in the governorates of Giza and North Sinai. Killing 40 terrorists », 30 of them in the province of Giza.
The statement added that the movement of the security forces came after "information was available to the national security sector about a group of terrorist elements preparing and planning to carry out a series of hostilities targeting state institutions, especially the economic and tourism industry elements, members of the armed forces, police and Christian houses of worship."
An interior ministry statement said large quantities of firearms, ammunition, various caliber bullets, improvised explosive devices and explosives were found.
A security official said the raids "took place early yesterday."
Al-Giza (West Cairo) witnessed two raids, according to the statement. The first resulted in the killing of 14 terrorists, while the second killed 16.
On the other hand, 10 terrorists were killed in the city of El Arish in North Sinai Governorate, where the Egyptian branch of the organization «Daash» (Sinai).
On Friday evening, three Vietnamese tourists and their tour guide were killed in a bomb explosion targeting a bus they were traveling in Giza near the pyramids.
The bus was carrying 14 Vietnamese tourists when it was attacked, the Interior Ministry said.
The Egyptian Attorney General issued instructions to the investigating authorities to find out the reasons and how the attack took place.
Egyptian Prime Minister Mustapha Medbouli visited the wounded in the hospital, and said in remarks carried by Egyptian television networks that the bus "went out of the safe path by the security forces without reporting the change."
The Interior Ministry said in a preliminary report that "an improvised explosive device was hidden next to a wall on the street Marioutiya in Giza during the passage of a tourist bus carrying 14 Vietnamese tourists."
The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, condemned the terrorist bombing, stressing the League's stand and its full solidarity with Egypt in its efforts to combat terrorism. The incident also condemned the Arab Parliament, stressing its stand and its full solidarity with Egypt in its war against the forces of terrorism and abhorrent extremism. Vietnam also condemned the terrorist attack on the tourist bus and called for a united stand against terrorism.
The terrorists planned to carry out hostile operations targeting state institutions, tourism, security men and Christian houses of worship in a number of Egyptian regions.