Deadly Explosions Rock Egyptian Resort City Posted: April 25, 2006

At least 23 people were killed and dozens more injured when three explosions ripped through the Egyptian resort city of Dahab.

The three successive explosions occurred within five minutes of each other in a restaurant, a café and a supermarket on April 24, 2006.  The resort was crowded with tourists for the Coptic Easter holiday and the ancient Egyptian spring festival of Sham el Nessim. 

It is still unclear whether the attacks were caused by suicide bombers or bombs with timing devices, according to Egyptian security officials.  Police have detained 10 people for questioning. 

Last July, at least 88 people were killed and more than 200 wounded when bombs ripped through hotels and shopping areas in Egypt's tourist area of Sharm el-Sheikh.  In October 2004, 34 people were killed, including 12 Israelis, at the Taba Hilton and the Ras as-Satan resorts.  Each of those attacks were also marked by three explosions, however, authorities have not determined if the recent bombings are connected with the earlier attacks.

The latest bombing coincided with the anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from Sinai in 1982.  It was the third time that an attack has occurred close to a national holiday. The Sharm el Sheik bombing occurred on Revolution Day and the Taba bombing occurred one day after a holiday commemorating the October 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

The attack came a day after Osama bin Laden denounced what he called "Zionist-crusader wars on Islam" in an audiotape broadcast on Arab television.