EGYPT:EGYPTIAN AUTHORITIES BEGIN REPATRIATION OF THE VICTIMS KILLED BY SUSPECTED ISLAMISTS

Record ID: 646327

  • Title: EGYPT:EGYPTIAN AUTHORITIES BEGIN REPATRIATION OF THE VICTIMS KILLED BY SUSPECTED ISLAMISTS
  • Date: 17th November 1997
  • Summary: VALLEY OF THE QUEENS, EGYPT (NOVEMBER 17, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) LUXOR, EGYPT (NOVEMBER 17, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV OF BODIES OF ATTACKERS BEING TAKEN FROM SITE 0.07 2. SV ANOTHER BODY BEING TAKEN DOWN HILL 0.20 3. CU DEAD BODY 0.24 4. SV DEAD BODY TAKEN DOWN HILL 0.36 5. SV BODY IN BACK OF AMBULANCE 0.40 6. GRAPHIC OF REGION WHERE ATTACK TOOK PLACE 0.46 7. SV EXTERIOR OF LUXOR GENERAL HOSPITAL 0.58 8. MCU UNIDENTIFIED BUS DRIVER SAYING THEY (ATTACKERS) CAME TO MY BUS AND DEMANDED TO GO OTHER PLACES AND TOOK ME FOR RIDE AROUND CITY. FIVE WENT DOWN AND ONE GUARDED ME. THEY WANTED TO GO ANYWHERE WHICH HAD TOURISTS (ARABIC) 1.32 CAIRO, EGYPT (ETV) 9. SLV WOUNDED BEING TAKEN OFF HELICOPTERS WHICH LANNDED AT MADI MILITARY HOSPITAL 1.52 10.MCU UNIDENTIFIED EGYPTIAN TOUR GUIDE SAYING I WAS WITH MY GROUP WHEN WE HEARD SHOTS FROM THE MOUNTAINS. I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT IT WAS A TERRORIST ATTACK BUT PEOPLE IN MY GROUP LAUGHED AND SAID A WAR WAS STARTING. I TOLD MY GROUP TO LIE ON THE GROUND AND AS I LOOKED UP I SAW A YOUNG MAN, NO MORE THAN 23. HE WAS SHORT AND DARK-SKINNED. AND THEN HE STARTED SHOOTING AT US AND I CANNOT DESCRIBE TO YOU THE EXTENT OF THE TRAGEDY THAT FOLLOWED (ARABIC) 2.29 LUXOR, EGYPT (NOVEMBER 17, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 11.PAN GUNS AND AMMUNITION RECOVERED AT SITE OF ATTACK 2.44 12.CU BANNER SAYING "GAMAR ISLAMIYA WE WILL FIGHT UNTIL DEATH" (ARABIC) 2.48 13.SV COFFINS 2.57 14.MCU GERMAN TOURIST SAYING WE STAY AS WE PLANNED TILL NEXT MONDAY BUT A LITTLE BIT FRIGHTENED...NEXT TIME NO, IT IS VERY SAD FOR THE PEOPLE HERE (ENGLISH) 3.15 15.MCU BRITISH TOURISTS SAYING WE WERE ACTUALLY LEAVING WEDNESDAY, WE'RE NOT CUTTING IT SHORT. WE FEEL SAFE, IT'S NO DIFFERENT FROM LONDON, IT'S NOT AS DANGEROUS I WOULDN'T THINK (ENGLISH) 3.32 CAIRO, EGYPT (ETV) 16.MCU/SV OF EMERGENCY CABINET MEETING WITH EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK (3 SHOTS) 3.42 LUXOR, EGYPT (NOVEMBER 17, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 17.SLV JAPANESE TOURISTS AT AIRPORT IN LUXOR LEAVING EGYPT 3.52 18.SLV POLICE NEAR SCENE 4.00 19.LV OF AREA 4.11 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 2nd December 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: VALLEY OF THE QUEENS AND LUXOR, CAIRO
  • City:
  • Country: Egypt
  • Reuters ID: LVA90V0OMRF6DISUU0M7U8GMOXGD
  • Story Text: - INTRO: Stunned by the killing of 57 holidaymakers by suspected Islamists in the top tourist resort of Luxor, Egyptian authorities began the grim task on Tuesday of arranging repatriation of the victims.

    Officials said military aircraft would ferry the slain tourists, from the town, 500 km (310 miles) south of Cairo, to a military airport in the capital overnight for collection by their embassies.

    They said Japanese, Swiss, British and German nationals were among those who perished when gunmen ran amok near the ruins of Hatshepshut temple in the the bloodiest incident since Moslem militants launched their armed struggle to install a strict Islamic state in Egypt in 1992.

    A witness in Luxor said he had seen a leaflet by the body of a Japanese tourist that said "No to tourists in Egypt -- Omar Abdel-Rahman's Squadron of Havoc and Destruction".

    Abdel-Rahman, spiritual leader of Egypt's biggest militant group al-Gama'a al-Islamiya (Islamic Group), is a blind sheikh serving a life sentence in the United States for plotting to blow up the World Trade Centre and other New York landmarks.

    The atrocity risks having serious repercussions for international tourism that is a $3 billion-a-year mainstay of the country's economy.

    Underlining the gravity of the latest Islamist challenge to his pro-Western government, President Hosni Mubarak was due to fly to Luxor with key cabinet ministers later on Tuesday.


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