US embassy cable - 05CAIRO5473

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 005473 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PA FOR J. ADAM ERELI; NEA/PD FOR FRANK FINVER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KPAO, KMDR, OPRC, UK, IZ, IS, EG, Media Themes 
SUBJECT:  TERRORISM: EGYPTIAN MEDIA THEMES, 
JULY 11 TO 17 
 
 
1.  Summary:  The Egyptian media continued to comment on 
the murder of Egyptian envoy to Iraq Ehab Al-Sharif and the 
London bombings.  Some commentators blamed "western double 
standards" for terrorism.  Others pointed towards 
corruption and "a lack of democracy" as the cause.  Some 
commentators questioned why the Egyptian Government had 
sent murdered envoy Ehab Al-Sharif to Iraq in the first 
place; while another accused Egyptians of being 
disingenuous when referring to the violence in Iraq as 
"resistance," rather than "terrorism."  The media gave wide 
coverage to the arrest of the Egyptian-born chemist accused 
of involvement in the London attacks and to Deputy 
Secretary Zoellick's visit to Egypt to discuss political 
 
SIPDIS 
and economic reform.  One pro-government newspaper accused 
D/S Zoellick of attempting "to pressure Egypt on political 
reforms" by meeting with opposition figures.  Renewed 
violence between Palestinians and Israeli forces dominated 
media coverage over the weekend, with commentators 
universally condemning Israeli actions.  End summary. 
 
2.  London bombing:  "Britain is responsible for the 
attacks in London, because it failed to listen to Egyptian 
warnings about giving asylum to Islamists," wrote a 
commentator in pro-government Al-Akhbar (circulation: 
800,000) on July 15.  A commentator in opposition Al-Wafd 
(circulation: 50,000) wrote on July 14, "These attacks show 
that the West is paying for its stupid policies in the Arab 
world."  On July 14, an independent columnist in pro- 
government Al-Ahram (circulation: 750,000) blamed "western 
double standards" for terrorism; while an Islamist 
commentator writing in the same issue asserted that the 
attacks "will close the doors of education and work 
opportunities for Muslims in Europe."  The Egyptian media 
covered the arrest of Magdy Nasher, the Egyptian-born 
chemist accused of playing a role in the London attacks. 
The July 16 front page of pro-government Al-Gomhouriya 
(circulation: 500,000) printed the Egyptian Minister of 
Interior's assertion that Nasher "has no connection with 
Al-Qaeda."  The same day, a commentator in pro-government 
Al-Ahram (circulation: 750,000) wrote, "It is impossible 
that a young professor sent to London for his education to 
serve his nation becomes a terrorist."  Also on July 16, 
Al-Gomhouriya's Editor-in-chief blamed the American and 
British media for "their ready accusations" against Nasher 
and "their attempts to prove a link between him and Mohamed 
Atta before the investigation is finished." 
 
3.  Egyptian envoy to Iraq murdered  more commentary:  On 
July 16 Egyptian satellite Dream TV's program Al-Haqiqa 
("The Truth") featured several guests who spoke about Ehab 
Al-Sherif's murder.  "Our ambassador was sent under U.S. 
pressure," claimed a People's Assembly member, "to give 
legitimacy to a fake and illegal Iraqi government." 
Another commentator contradicted him by stating that Iraq's 
government was "accepted internationally and is 
legitimate."  An Egyptian who was kidnapped by Sunni 
insurgents also appeared on the program to claim that his 
kidnappers "treated me kindly" and blamed Shiite security 
forces for "treating Sunnis unfairly."  A fourth guest, 
dubbed a "political analyst," claimed, "It's in the best 
interest of the U.S. that terrorism does not stop in Iraq, 
so it can use terrorism as a reason to stay," while also 
charging that the U.S. finances Zarqawi.  On July 12, Nile 
TV hosted an Egyptian political writer and analyst who 
listed "western double standards" and "poverty, corruption, 
and the lack of democracy" as the causes of the terrorism 
that led to Ehab Al-Sherif's murder.  A columnist in 
independent daily Nahdet Masr (circulation: 20,000), on 
July 14, accused Egyptians of failing "to name things for 
what they are" by not calling the violence in Iraq 
"terrorism," rather than "resistance." 
 
4.  Deputy Secretary Zoellick visit to Egypt:  The pro- 
government media welcomed Deputy Secretary of State Robert 
Zoellick's visit to Egypt by claiming on July 13 that he 
would "discuss increasing U.S. investment in Egypt" and 
"work on concluding a free trade agreement."  The headline 
in Al-Ahram on July 15 read,  "Egypt to take the lead in 
political and economic reforms," along with photos of 
Zoellick meeting with President Mubarak.  The front page of 
pro-government Akhbar Al-Youm (circulation: 1,000,000) 
highlighted Zoellick's comments to a journalists roundtable 
on July 14 that "Egypt's role in the Middle East peace 
process is key."  Independent Nahdet Masr profiled Zoellick 
on its front page on July 16 under the headline, "Zoellick: 
The New Reformers in the NDP are Serious About Change; 
There is No Substitute for International Monitoring to 
Ensure Honest Elections."  Al-Gomhouriya's new Editor-in- 
chief, Mohamed Ali Ibrahim, criticized Zoellick's July 13 
meeting with opposition figures as "an attempt to pressure 
Egypt on political reforms" and asserted that the U.S. "is 
seeking a president from the opposition."  (For more 
details on coverage of the Deputy Secretary's visit to 
Egypt, see septel.) 
 
5.  Israel:  The lead story in Al-Ahram on July 14 reported 
on Israel's "re-occupation" of Tulkarem and renewed 
violence in the Palestinian Territories, with a lead photo 
of Israeli soldiers "attacking" a home.  The same day, all 
newspapers printed FM Aboul Gheit's comments condemning the 
Netanya suicide bombing.  "Israel is the enemy of life," 
inveighed the unsigned editorial in Al-Akhbar on July 15. 
Several commentators lined up against Israel on Dream TV's 
Al-Haqiqa on July 16.  "Israelis hate us," stated one 
commentator, pointing to negative Israeli press commentary 
about Egypt, while another commentator claimed that the 
Qualified Industrial Zone (QIZ) and natural gas agreements 
were ways of "rewarding the enemy for their brutal and 
aggressive policies."  However, one commentator  an NDP 
member  begged that the audience understand "diplomatic 
protocols" between Egypt and Israel, explaining, "Our 
relations with Israel, a neighboring country, are as 
important as those with Libya and Sudan." 
 
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