Egypt's Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim has survived an assassination attempt that left at least seven people wounded.
Egyptian officials say a bomb attack targeted Ibrahim's convoy Thursday in the Nasr City neighborhood of northeast Cairo. Ibrahim says he was not hurt in the blast, which occurred close to his home.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Police are searching the area for suspects.
The opposition Egyptian Islamist coalition led by ousted President Mohamed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood has strongly condemned the bombing.
Ibrahim was thankful he was safe.
"Thank God. It was a cowardly attempt. The forensic experts are investigating and it appears to have been an explosive device. It was large, but blew up at a far distance. They waited for my vehicle to pass because the impact was close to my car. It destroyed four of the vehicles of my protection team, with many shops in the area badly affected along with a vehicle of civilians and a small child who had a leg amputated. I have an officer with serious injuries and another officer with a leg amputation. There were many injuries amongst my guards."
The attack occurred near the area where security forces last month stormed an Islamist-led sit-in, killing hundreds of supporters of Mr. Morsi.
The military has accused the Muslim Brotherhood of inciting violence and committing terrorism. Its leaders ousted Mr. Morsi following days of protests.
The Brotherhood denies the military's accusations and says it is committed to peaceful protests against what it considers a coup against Egypt's democratically first elected leader.
Initial reports suggested Thursday's 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 where the blast occurred, 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.
Egyptian officials say a bomb attack targeted Ibrahim's convoy Thursday in the Nasr City neighborhood of northeast Cairo. Ibrahim says he was not hurt in the blast, which occurred close to his home.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Police are searching the area for suspects.
The opposition Egyptian Islamist coalition led by ousted President Mohamed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood has strongly condemned the bombing.
Ibrahim was thankful he was safe.
"Thank God. It was a cowardly attempt. The forensic experts are investigating and it appears to have been an explosive device. It was large, but blew up at a far distance. They waited for my vehicle to pass because the impact was close to my car. It destroyed four of the vehicles of my protection team, with many shops in the area badly affected along with a vehicle of civilians and a small child who had a leg amputated. I have an officer with serious injuries and another officer with a leg amputation. There were many injuries amongst my guards."
The attack occurred near the area where security forces last month stormed an Islamist-led sit-in, killing hundreds of supporters of Mr. Morsi.
The military has accused the Muslim Brotherhood of inciting violence and committing terrorism. Its leaders ousted Mr. Morsi following days of protests.
The Brotherhood denies the military's accusations and says it is committed to peaceful protests against what it considers a coup against Egypt's democratically first elected leader.
Initial reports suggested Thursday's 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 where the blast occurred, 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.