Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
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Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
Egyptian authorities ignored warnings from Western intelligence services that militants were planning an attack in downtown Cairo, diplomatic sources have said.
The Western diplomats told The New Arab's Arabic-language service on Wednesday that the Egyptian government disregarded the warnings that may have prevented the huge blast outside the main cancer hospital in Cairo that killed 20 people.
The sources said that the temporary cancellation of flights to Cairo by British Airways and Lufthansa last month was linked by the warnings.
"The Egyptian-British security coordination committee informed the Egyptians that it had received almost certain information regarding contacts between extremists to carry out an attack in the heart of Cairo," they were quoted as saying.
According to the sources, Egyptian officials blew off the warnings, arguing that security precautions were adequate in the capital.
On Monday, a car packed with explosives being driven to carry out an attack elsewhere collided with other vehicles and exploded in central Cairo.
The blast took place close to the Garden City district, which is home to many embassies including the British and US.
Egypt has accused Hasm, a militant group linked to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, saying it was moving a car stolen in the Nile Delta to carry out an attack elsewhere.
Hasm has denied responsibility.
Source: https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/ ... adly-blast
The Western diplomats told The New Arab's Arabic-language service on Wednesday that the Egyptian government disregarded the warnings that may have prevented the huge blast outside the main cancer hospital in Cairo that killed 20 people.
The sources said that the temporary cancellation of flights to Cairo by British Airways and Lufthansa last month was linked by the warnings.
"The Egyptian-British security coordination committee informed the Egyptians that it had received almost certain information regarding contacts between extremists to carry out an attack in the heart of Cairo," they were quoted as saying.
According to the sources, Egyptian officials blew off the warnings, arguing that security precautions were adequate in the capital.
On Monday, a car packed with explosives being driven to carry out an attack elsewhere collided with other vehicles and exploded in central Cairo.
The blast took place close to the Garden City district, which is home to many embassies including the British and US.
Egypt has accused Hasm, a militant group linked to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, saying it was moving a car stolen in the Nile Delta to carry out an attack elsewhere.
Hasm has denied responsibility.
Source: https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/ ... adly-blast
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
Now we know the truth why British Airways cancelled flights for 1 week, they knew something that the general public did not know.
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
But the info would have been shared to other airlines.
Why did only BA - and Lufthansa for 24 hrs- take any action?
I’d treat this alleged linkage with some suspicion.
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
Maybe other airlines did not see it has a credible/serious threat or they were thinking about how much money they would lose canceling flights
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
Perhaps there was no such linkage.
And why, if an attack was planned for downtown Cairo, cancel flights? It would make more sense to alert embassy staff or raise the general threat level in the FO guidance for Egypt.
If BA cancelled flights because of a credible terrorist threat, it would have said so instead of the reason it gave of problems with its security systems at Cairo airport.
I’m always a little suspicious of unnamed sources- where there’s no obvious need to be shy - and, remember, El Araby is a Qatari owned and funded news outlet which regularly offers “news” which is derogatory or embarrassing to Egypt.
Besides...unless any warning was specific in terms of target or perpetrators, what were the Egyptian authorities supposed to do? The possibility- likelihood- of terrorist activity is part and parcel of life in Egypt
And why, if an attack was planned for downtown Cairo, cancel flights? It would make more sense to alert embassy staff or raise the general threat level in the FO guidance for Egypt.
If BA cancelled flights because of a credible terrorist threat, it would have said so instead of the reason it gave of problems with its security systems at Cairo airport.
I’m always a little suspicious of unnamed sources- where there’s no obvious need to be shy - and, remember, El Araby is a Qatari owned and funded news outlet which regularly offers “news” which is derogatory or embarrassing to Egypt.
Besides...unless any warning was specific in terms of target or perpetrators, what were the Egyptian authorities supposed to do? The possibility- likelihood- of terrorist activity is part and parcel of life in Egypt
Last edited by newcastle on Sat Aug 10, 2019 11:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
On Sunday 21st July 2019.
The British Ambassador, Sir Geoffrey Adams met Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister and apologised for British Airways sudden withdrawal of service, but also added that the decision was in NO way related to the security measures at any of Egypt's airports.
The British Ambassador, Sir Geoffrey Adams met Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister and apologised for British Airways sudden withdrawal of service, but also added that the decision was in NO way related to the security measures at any of Egypt's airports.
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
It is very probably that the warning came from the UK security services and that it pointed at a UK/European asset in the Cairo area being a target. That could include embassy’s, airlines or other targets, they may not have had sufficient information to be precise so a general warning would have gone out. UK and close allies would have been given more specific information about the threat, but the details are not shared with everyone, it would be up to individual countries to act or not on what information they were given, there was certainly a good enough reason for two airlines to cancel flights.
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
You may be right Horus....although I’m not aware there was any kind of warning, general or otherwise. Unusual for such matters not to leak out in one way or another.
I’ll stick with my view that this is an unsubstantiated bit of mischief making by Al Araby....a regular thorn in Egypt’s side.
I imagine our security services listen in to “chatter” all the time and might well have picked something up and relayed it to the Egyptian authorities. It’s the linking of this to the BA flight cancellations I find extremely dubious.
I’ll stick with my view that this is an unsubstantiated bit of mischief making by Al Araby....a regular thorn in Egypt’s side.
I imagine our security services listen in to “chatter” all the time and might well have picked something up and relayed it to the Egyptian authorities. It’s the linking of this to the BA flight cancellations I find extremely dubious.
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
The warnings can’t have been very specific.....or indeed taken too seriously even by BA.
They announced they were cancelling for a week only....and resumed flights before the Cairo explosion.
They announced they were cancelling for a week only....and resumed flights before the Cairo explosion.
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
That's the problem, warnings and tip offs are rarely specific, but background information on any particular group usually gives the likely targets. The fact remains that someone was about to blow something up, that was not just a petrol tank exploding and explosive devices are often moved about to several locations before being used.
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
Most of the reports of the BA flight cancellation refer to specific threats against planes (presumably BA flights) at Cairo airport. BA reviewed the situation at Cairo and determined there was no ongoing immediate cause for concern.
They were even rebooking their passengers onto Egyptair over the period they cancelled.
How anyone can link the cancellation to the Cairo explosion mystifies me.
They were even rebooking their passengers onto Egyptair over the period they cancelled.
How anyone can link the cancellation to the Cairo explosion mystifies me.
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
Maybe there was intelligence of planting a bomb on a British plane at Cairo airport around them dates? The explosives that went off in Cairo was due to an accident so reports say and was most likely being transported to another place.
We probably will never find out the real truth behind why BA stopped the flights unless someone leaks the intelligence they received, which i doubt.
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
I agree Keefy.
BA’s cancellation was likely the result of a very specific threat.....which would explain why no one else was bothered.
It’s unlikely a truckload of high explosive was involved.....that would have faced insurmountable problems in getting anywhere near a BA plane!
Most likely it was on its way to cause mayhem in downtown Cairo and there is no connection with BA’s actions.
A coincidence.
BA’s cancellation was likely the result of a very specific threat.....which would explain why no one else was bothered.
It’s unlikely a truckload of high explosive was involved.....that would have faced insurmountable problems in getting anywhere near a BA plane!
Most likely it was on its way to cause mayhem in downtown Cairo and there is no connection with BA’s actions.
A coincidence.
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Re: Egypt 'ignored warnings of imminent attack' before deadly blast
On a positive note Mo Salah donates $3m towards the rebuild of the hospital.
https://egyptianstreets.com/2019/08/07/ ... institute/
https://egyptianstreets.com/2019/08/07/ ... institute/
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