At least four killed by bomb thrown from motorcycle in Cairo

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April 7, 2005

Four people were killed today after a bomb was hurled into a busy bazaar in Cairo, Egypt. The blast occurred near the al-Azhar mosque and injured at least an additional 18 people. The bomb is thought to have been thrown from a passing motorcycle, which then landed amongst crowds of tourists and shoppers gathered on al-Moski Street, in Cairo's ancient Muslim centre.

Rabab Rifaat, an Egyptian woman who witnessed the carnage, said she heard "a boom, a horrible sound, very loud", immediately before seeing body parts flying through the air.

The explosion was followed by a grisly scene, according to doctors who say a French female tourist killed by the bomb arrived at a local hospital in an "unrecognizable state". At least one man died of his injuries later in hospital, sources claim, while hundreds of police sealed off the scene. The Egyptian Government later confirmed that four French, three Americans, an Italian, a Turk and nine Egyptians were injured in the blast.

The al-Azhar mosque is regarded as being an important Islamic learning institution. Last October, 34 people died when Islamic militants bombed several hotels in the Sinai peninsula, targeting tourist hotspots in Egypt.

Egyptian officials are continuing to investigate the attack.

Sources