US embassy cable - 05CAIRO5622

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 005622 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2015 
TAGS: PTER, CASC, PGOV, PREL, EG 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY CAIRO'S EAC MEETS IN RESPONSE TO SHARM 
EL-SHEIKH TERRORIST ATTACKS 
 
REF: CAIRO 5619 
 
Classified by Charge d'Affaires Stuart E. Jones for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) At an EAC meeting on the morning of July 23, Charge 
and Embassy officers reviewed the latest information on the 
terrorist attacks on Sharm el-Sheikh which occurred at 1:15 
AM.  Varying reports put the number of dead at 75-85, with at 
least 100 wounded.  There are so far no reports of American 
deaths or injuries.  The Embassy has dispatched a team of 
consular and security officers to Sharm and is working 
closely with GOE security contacts.  An initial warden 
message was released and a more detailed follow up message 
will be issued later on July 23.  The Embassy is also 
drafting suggested language for a Department public 
announcement.  End summary. 
 
2. (C) The Charge convened the Embassy's Emergency Action 
Committee (EAC) on July 23 at 11 AM local time to discuss the 
Mission's response to the terrorist attacks in the Sinai 
resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, which occurred at approximately 
1:15 AM earlier the same day.  A/DCM, RSO, ORA, LEGATT, CONS, 
ECPO, OMC, DAO, ADMIN, CLO, DEA, USAID, and RMO attended. 
 
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Initial Information 
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3. (C) The latest information on the attacks from Embassy 
contacts in the GOE's State Security Investigations Service 
(SSIS) put the number of casualties at 85 dead and more than 
100 wounded, of whom 7 are currently thought to be foreign 
nationals.  So far, there are no reports of death or injury 
to American citizens and no indications that a particular 
national group was targeted.  An Egyptian Ministry of Tourism 
official has been quoted stating that 74 persons have been 
killed and that 20 foreign nationals are hospitalized with 
severe injuries.  Of these, none are known to be American. 
 
4. (C) There were apparently three explosions, reportedly 
including two vehicle-borne bombs, one in the "old market" 
area of Sharm el-Sheikh, and two in Na'ama Bay, the center of 
Sharm's night life, reportedly near the Ghazala Gardens 
Hotel.  A third explosion in Na'ama Bay may have been an IED 
delivered by a pedestrian.  One GOE security contact 
speculated that the perpetrators may have been "Al Qa'ida 
from Saudi Arabia."  However, Minister of Interior Adly, in 
preliminary remarks to Arab journalists, linked the incident 
to the Taba bombing of October 2004. 
 
5. (C) Initial media reports noted that the cars used in the 
attacks all had temporary plates issued by the Egyptian 
customs service at border crossings.  Late-breaking media 
reports have carried claims of responsibility from "Al-Qa'ida 
of the Levant" and the "Abdallah Azzam Brigade."  ORA chief 
noted that "Al Qa'ida of the Levant" typically claims 
responsibility for almost every act of terror in the region. 
The Charge and EAC members agreed that all of our information 
remains very preliminary and subject to change. 
 
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GOE Response 
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6. (C) President Mubarak, Interior Minister Adly, and Health 
Minister Tageldin traveled to Sharm el-Sheikh on the morning 
of July 23 to direct the GOE response.  President Mubarak 
visited the injured in hospital late in the morning. 
 
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Embassy Actions 
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7. (C) Embassy officers were on duty within an hour of the 
attacks and issued an initial situation report (reftel).  The 
Embassy issued an initial warden message to the American 
community at 7 AM local and is preparing a more detailed 
notice that will follow septel. 
 
8. (C) EAC members noted that this was the fourth terrorist 
incident targeting the tourist industry in nine months, 
including attacks at Taba and Nuweiba in October, 2004, an 
attack at the Khan el-Khalili tourist bazaar on April 7 and 
two incidents in central Cairo on April 30.  EAC members 
agreed that the Sharm attack appeared to rise to a new level 
of operational sophistication. 
 
9. (C) The EAC also discussed language for a forthcoming 
public announcement, and agreed that Americans should be 
cautioned to avoid areas frequented by foreign tourists.  EAC 
members agreed, however, that absent more specific threat 
information, a travel warning would be inappropriate. 
10. (C) An Embassy team composed of several RSO and consular 
officers departed Cairo at dawn and arrived in Sharm shortly 
before 11 AM local, where they linked up with A/LEGAT, who 
had been in Sharm on a personal visit.  The team is liaising 
with GOE security contacts and providing assistance to 
American citizens.  Specifically, the Embassy is arranging 
land transport for AMCITs who wish to leave Sharm.  RSO, ORA, 
LEGAT, and DEA have each been in contact with their 
counterparts in GOE security services and have offered USG 
technical assistance and support to the investigation.  GOE 
contacts undertook to pass the offer on to their superiors. 
(Note:  We expect the GOE to decline offers of technical 
assistance.  End note.) 
 
 
Visit Embassy Cairo's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/cairo 
 
You can also access this site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. 
 
JONES