Is Terrorism a Threat in Egypt?

Reading the report where would you feel safer?

  • Sinai

    Votes: 1 33.3%
  • Hurghada

    Votes: 1 33.3%
  • Cairo

    Votes: 1 33.3%

  • Total voters
    3
  • Poll closed .
Peter Mitry

Peter Mitry

<B>Egypt Forum Founder Member</B>
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office of the British Government have issued warnings against the threat of terrorist attacks in Egypt. This has led to the cancellation of British Airways weekly scheduled flights to Hurghada.

However, the truth, as is so often the case, is that the facts paint a rather different picture particularly to the areas of the Red Sea near to Hurghada.

The following are extracts from the British Government report:

Terrorism

There is a high threat from terrorism in Egypt. Security has been tightened throughout Egypt, especially in resort areas, although the risk of indiscriminate attacks against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners, remains. Egyptian security forces continue to carry out counter-terrorist operations in some areas of Sinai. Security authorities may insist on escorting you in some areas.

On 26 April 2006, there were two suicide bomb attacks at the Multinational Force and Observers base in north Sinai. There were no fatalities.

On 24 April 2006, there were explosions at three separate locations in the resort town of Dahab in the Sinai Peninsular, in which 23 people were killed and more than 60 injured, including three British nationals.

In August 2005, two police vehicles and one Multinational Force and Observers’ vehicle were damaged when three roadside bombs exploded in Northern Sinai. Two policemen were killed and seven others injured.

On 23 July 2005, three bombs exploded in Sharm al-Sheikh in the Sinai Peninsula. 63 people, including 11 British nationals, were killed. 124 others were injured in these attacks.

On 30 April 2005, terrorists carried out two suicide bomb attacks in Cairo. Seven civilians, including four foreign nationals, were injured. On 7 April 2005, there was a suicide bomb attack in central Cairo near the Khan El Khalili bazaar, a location frequented by tourists. Three tourists were killed and 19 injured.

On 7 October 2004, three terrorist attacks in resorts and hotels in Taba and near Nuweiba in the Sinai Peninsula killed 34 (including tourists) and injured 159. Prior to these attacks the last terrorist attacks in Egypt were in 1997 in Luxor.

You should be aware that some of these attacks have taken place over local holiday weekends. Egyptian security forces tend to step up their presence at these times. Please read Security and General Tips and Risk of Terrorism when Travelling Overseas for further information and advice.


Please note that with the exception of April 2005 when there were two attacks in Cairo ALL other incidents have been in the Sinai Peninsula! This is a long way from Hurghada which has been entirely incident free.

This does not mean that the security forces are complacent; far from it! If you don't have a valid licence to work in Hurghada you will not even be allowed into the city at night.

Its time the British Government woke up to the fact that millions of Britains are choosing Egypt for their holidays and to buy second homes. Perhaps the advice to traveller should relate more specifically to the Sinai peninsular. It is entirely misleading to issue general warnings like the one above, when the most affected area is in Sinai, many miles from Hurghada annd the other resort towns.

Even more so when this leads to cancelled flights at a time when we need more not less flights in order to bring prices down. There is a huge opportunity here for Ryan Air!!
 
D

DC

Member
Egypt - Safety

It is as safe as probably London, Madrid or New York.
 
D

dave99

New Member
Been to Hurghada 6 times in the last year and always felt safe.
 
Peter Mitry

Peter Mitry

<B>Egypt Forum Founder Member</B>
Me too! After 7.00 pm in the evening I believe that drivers have to produce a local work permit to even get in to the city. In some Developments the drivers have to leave their ID cards and work permits with security when entering and pick them up when they leave...
 
S

seamstress

New Member
egypt is probably safer then all european countries, the country only gets hit by terrorists when the government start making plans with countries that extremists dont like much. have seen one terrorist attack here up close and that was in luxor in 1997 at hapshepsut temple and believe me the locals sharp dealt with them terrorists.
 
B

Batley

New Member
Cancelled flights

The BA flights to Hurghada have not been cancelled because of terrorism this route is and alway has been operated for a six months of the year - BA have confirmed this to me today - they start in October again.
 
A

awahee123

Banned
Maybe in certain areas but as a whole its not tolerated here,people do not accept it,whereas in some countries people accept it,good security is never too far from wherever you are.
 
propertywatch1

propertywatch1

<b>Official Photographer</b>
I feel safer living here than i did in the UK.
The problem i feel is more concentrated in the Sinai region due to the constant problem with the Bedouins.
 
D

dealdydoc

New Member
egypt terrorism

for those investing in egypt, just wanted to know what makes you think you are immune to possible acts of terrorism that have occurred not too long ago in the past? just curious...
 
SHO

SHO

Member
You could get blown up catching a bus in the UK! Who said they were immune from terrorism in Egypt..? I do not think you are immune from it anywhere.
 
crombiestone

crombiestone

New Member
for those investing in egypt, just wanted to know what makes you think you are immune to possible acts of terrorism that have occurred not too long ago in the past? just curious...
No one is immune from terrorism these days

Egypt, New York, Washington, Bali, Spain , somalia, Saudi Arabia , Yemen , Morocco, Tunisia, Pakistan, Turkey, Jordan, Israel , Kenya, Manilla, Jakarta , Glasgow, Northern Ireland oh and of course London

Please feel free to add any I missed

Where next ?? Best stay locked in your safe little home eh ?
 
A

awahee123

Banned
I agree SHO I also think no one country is safe from terrorism wether it be a muslim country or not.Previous years of terror in the uk seem to be forgotten easily.
If anyone thinks that it is concentrated on any one country,I personally think that is not the case.
 
L

lyndsay552

New Member
Having grown up for the last thirty years with terrorist violence in northern ireland, maybe I have become accustomed to it but where in the world is safe?? I heard a term which I think is appropriate 'Egypt is the Switzerland of the middle east' which I think is a very good way of thinking of it.
 
M

Mark .Y.

New Member
for those investing in egypt, just wanted to know what makes you think you are immune to possible acts of terrorism that have occurred not too long ago in the past? just curious...

Nothing really, just as millions of people still use the tube in London you just get on with your life and assume/hope it won't happen to you. Much like boarding a plane not long after a reported air crash.

However, having now visited both Hurghada and Sharm, I do feel that the security can be a bit of a joke. Believe me, some of the guys I have seen outside the hotels would not be capable of stopping a determined 12 year old, let alone a hardened terrorist cell. I think they are there as a "reassuring presence" but if a group did decide to commit an outrage I don't think they would have too many problems.

Mark .Y.
 
W

westyorkshirebaldy

New Member
At least it is more than they are doing in England you can pack a car full of explosives and drive into any hotel reception in England you would be very hard pressed to do this in any hotel in Egypt Terroism is a world wide problem and not just isolated to muslim countrys all we can do is be very vigilant.
 
R

rossantony

New Member
safe as houses..

i do feel safe, but not immune.

i definitely feel safe from crime. i have not seen or heard of any egyptian committing a crime against a foreigner since i have been here.

the egyptian feels that prevention is better than the cure.

on terrorism, i feel the government is doing all it can to promote peace in the region.

egypt are our allies, and the leading peacemaker and venue for middle eastern peace talks, although nowhere is safe, it could be viewed as off limits to all apart from individuals hell bent on derailing the peace process.

did anyone watch the bbc debate on bbc world held in sharm el sheikh last week?

Sharm hosted the world economic forum for the middle east.

in the hot seat for the BBC debate there was the israeli prime minister, the palastinan prime minister, gamal mubarek and tony blair.

Gamal Mubarek really impressed me. He is the presidents son and head of goverment policy. tony was and grinning from ear to ear and giving the thumbs up to everything he said. (no change there then..) As an investment banker in the past, Gamal sees the economic growth produced by his reforms in egypt could be mirrored in neighbouring states.

Dynastic Nepotism aside, he looks like a good man to succeed his father.

im no political animal, but it was good to see them sitting side by side, and all agreeing on the issues of the need for a palastinian state.

The key to all this is education, womens rights, social and economic reform, and a willingness of the people and the military to avoid violence, at all costs.

only then will there be a true and lasting peace.

side note.. before the brits arrived with their heavy artillery and drew up the maps and created borders and nations, the levantines, syrians, arabs, jews, christians and moslems got on quite well, apparently.

peaceful regards
 
V

vix

New Member
""side note.. before the brits arrived with their heavy artillery and drew up the maps and created borders and nations, the levantines, syrians, arabs, jews, christians and moslems got on quite well, apparently. ""
Of course they did rossantony, how else do the Brits get to sell thier Hawker Hunters and Chieftan tanks if they dont go in 1st and create havoc ? War to the British is a good industry.
 
1

125mastaba

New Member
I feel safer leaving our property in Hurghada for 2-3 months than leaving our property in Scotland for 4-5 weeks, no gangs of youths walking around, no swearing, no graffiti, lots of pleasant polite people around, can't beat it
 
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