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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Egyptian police headquarters hit by explosion | Egyptian police headquarters hit by explosion |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A powerful explosion believed to be caused by a car bomb rocked a police headquarters in a Nile delta city north of Cairo early on Tuesday, killing at least 14 people and injuring scores, according to the state news agency and a security official. | A powerful explosion believed to be caused by a car bomb rocked a police headquarters in a Nile delta city north of Cairo early on Tuesday, killing at least 14 people and injuring scores, according to the state news agency and a security official. |
| The interim government accused the Muslim Brotherhood of orchestrating the attack, branding it a "terrorist organisation". | The interim government accused the Muslim Brotherhood of orchestrating the attack, branding it a "terrorist organisation". |
| The Middle East News Agency quoted cabinet spokesman Sherif Shawki as saying the Brotherhood had showed its "ugly face as a terrorist organisation shedding blood and messing with Egypt's security". | The Middle East News Agency quoted cabinet spokesman Sherif Shawki as saying the Brotherhood had showed its "ugly face as a terrorist organisation shedding blood and messing with Egypt's security". |
| The attack came a day after an al-Qaida-inspired group called on police and army personnel to desert or face death at the hands of its fighters. | The attack came a day after an al-Qaida-inspired group called on police and army personnel to desert or face death at the hands of its fighters. |
| The group and several others have claimed responsibility for a surge of attacks on security forces since the July coup that toppled the Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi. | The group and several others have claimed responsibility for a surge of attacks on security forces since the July coup that toppled the Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi. |
| MENA said the explosion took place at 1.10am at Daqahliya security headquarters in the Nile delta city of Mansoura, collapsing part of the five-floor building. A security official said 14 people were killed and nearly 100 injured, including the city's security chief. Most of those killed were police officers inside headquarters, their bodies buried beneath the debris. | |
| It was the first major attack in the Nile delta, spreading the carnage to a new area and bringing it closer to Cairo. Previous violence that killed scores of people happened in Sinai, or in Suez Canal-area cities such as Islamilia. | It was the first major attack in the Nile delta, spreading the carnage to a new area and bringing it closer to Cairo. Previous violence that killed scores of people happened in Sinai, or in Suez Canal-area cities such as Islamilia. |
| Security forces cordoned off the area, closed major routes into the city and set up checkpoints to search for perpetrators, the official said. | Security forces cordoned off the area, closed major routes into the city and set up checkpoints to search for perpetrators, the official said. |
| The death toll was expected to rise, a state official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press. State TV called on residents to rush to hospitals to donate blood. | The death toll was expected to rise, a state official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press. State TV called on residents to rush to hospitals to donate blood. |
| The official said the preliminary investigation indicated a car bomb caused the explosion. | The official said the preliminary investigation indicated a car bomb caused the explosion. |
| Egypt's prime minister, Hazem el-Beblawi, described the attack as a "terrorist incident". He expressed condolences to the families of the victims and vowed that the perpetrators "will not escape justice". | Egypt's prime minister, Hazem el-Beblawi, described the attack as a "terrorist incident". He expressed condolences to the families of the victims and vowed that the perpetrators "will not escape justice". |
| MENA said that the explosion damaged surrounding buildings, including a bank and a theatre, and wrecked dozens of vehicles. | MENA said that the explosion damaged surrounding buildings, including a bank and a theatre, and wrecked dozens of vehicles. |
| The same building was bombed weeks ago, but that explosion caused no major casualties. Militant Islamists have attacked several security headquarters with car bombs or by suicide bombers. | The same building was bombed weeks ago, but that explosion caused no major casualties. Militant Islamists have attacked several security headquarters with car bombs or by suicide bombers. |
| The militant group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, or Champions of Jerusalem, has said it considers Egyptian troops to be infidels because they answer to the secular-leaning military-backed government. | The militant group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, or Champions of Jerusalem, has said it considers Egyptian troops to be infidels because they answer to the secular-leaning military-backed government. |
| The group and others based in the Sinai claimed responsibility for a number of suicide car bombings and deadly attacks on security headquarters, including a failed assassination attempt on Egypt's interior minister in September using a suicide car bombing. The minister escaped unharmed. | The group and others based in the Sinai claimed responsibility for a number of suicide car bombings and deadly attacks on security headquarters, including a failed assassination attempt on Egypt's interior minister in September using a suicide car bombing. The minister escaped unharmed. |
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