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Egypt Interior Minister Survives Car Bombing: Officials


Egyptians officials say a bomb exploded Thursday near the home of the country's interior minister in Cairo, wounding at least seven people.

Security officials say the explosion took place near the convoy of Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim, who was not hurt in the blast.

State media described the attack as a failed assassination attempt, though there is no word on who is responsible.

Initial reports suggested the attackers used a car bomb, but state television later reported that a bomb was thrown from a nearby building.

Raouf Mahmoud, who lives across the street from the incident, told VOA he was parking his car when he heard a "massive explosion."



"Three shops were completely destroyed. And two cars from the security guards, and two cars just parking were all damaged," he said. "All of the people just ran into the street and when they heard the gunshots, they tried to go back to their neighborhood. It was a scary moment."



Mahmoud said he did not see any evidence of a car bomb, and said the four or five people he saw being taken into an ambulance did not look seriously injured.

The attack occurred in the Nasr City neighborhood of northeast Cairo, where security forces last month stormed an Islamist-led sit-in, killing hundreds of supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

The military, which ousted the Islamist leader following days of protests, has accused Mr. Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood of inciting violence and committing terrorism.

The Brotherhood denies this, saying it is committed to peaceful protests against what it consider a military coup against Egypt's first elected leader.
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