Egypt impairing investigation of Taba bombing - ignored warnings

Aaron Lerner Date: 9 October 2004

Israel Television Channel 2 correspondent Erez Rotem reported from Taba this
evening that the Egyptian rescue and security officials on the scene are not
allowing Israeli experts to investigate the bomb scene at the Taba Hilton in
order to determine what actually transpired and seek clues that would aid in
identifying the terrorists behind the attack.

Rotem also reported that there were substantial acts of stealing of Israeli
property - including watches removed from Israelis on stretchers as they
were evacuated.

Rotem noted that Israelis who returned to Taba to recover their property
were delayed for many hours by Egypt and in some cases not permitted to
bring their property back to Israel.

Israel Television Channel Two military correspondent Ronnie Daniel reported
this evening that Avi Dichter, Head of the Israel Security Agency, (Shin
Bet), recently visited Cairo to warn of the terror attack threat and that
Egypt did nothing in response. "If Egypt had cooperated before the attack
it might not have happened," Daniel noted.

Israel Channel Two Arab affairs correspondent Ehud Yaari reported this
evening that Egypt believes that the bomb vehicles reached the Egyptian
Sinai from the Jordanian Port of Taba via ferry.

Another Channel Two reporter at the scene noted the cooperation between
Israel and Egypt in the rescue work itself.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il