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| Egypt’s Top Prosecutor Is Most Senior Official to Die in Insurgency | |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| CAIRO — A powerful bomb killed Egypt’s top prosecutor as he drove to work Monday morning, broadening the violent insurgency against the government that militants have been waging for two years. | CAIRO — A powerful bomb killed Egypt’s top prosecutor as he drove to work Monday morning, broadening the violent insurgency against the government that militants have been waging for two years. |
| The prosecutor, Hisham Barakat, was the most senior official to be killed in Egypt since the insurgency began in 2013, after the military ousted the country’s first freely elected president, Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. | The prosecutor, Hisham Barakat, was the most senior official to be killed in Egypt since the insurgency began in 2013, after the military ousted the country’s first freely elected president, Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. |
| Gen. Osama Bedeir, chief of security here in Cairo, said the bomb was in a car parked along Mr. Barakat’s route and was probably detonated by remote control. The apparently sophisticated mode of attack foiled security measures that were meant to protect Mr. Barakat, who had repeatedly received death threats. | Gen. Osama Bedeir, chief of security here in Cairo, said the bomb was in a car parked along Mr. Barakat’s route and was probably detonated by remote control. The apparently sophisticated mode of attack foiled security measures that were meant to protect Mr. Barakat, who had repeatedly received death threats. |
| The daylight assassination of so senior a figure was a blow to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who rose to power on a promise to restore stability after years of political tumult. His government has justified a broad crackdown against Islamists and other opponents as necessary to eradicate the threat from militants. | The daylight assassination of so senior a figure was a blow to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who rose to power on a promise to restore stability after years of political tumult. His government has justified a broad crackdown against Islamists and other opponents as necessary to eradicate the threat from militants. |
| This month, militants carried out separate attacks near the Pyramids at Giza and the Karnak temple in Luxor, two of Egypt’s most popular tourist destinations, further denting the government’s efforts to project order. | This month, militants carried out separate attacks near the Pyramids at Giza and the Karnak temple in Luxor, two of Egypt’s most popular tourist destinations, further denting the government’s efforts to project order. |
| Monday’s attack appeared to set Egypt on a course for more violence. The killing of Mr. Barakat was seen as likely to embolden the militants while prompting an even more forceful response from the security services. | Monday’s attack appeared to set Egypt on a course for more violence. The killing of Mr. Barakat was seen as likely to embolden the militants while prompting an even more forceful response from the security services. |
| There was no immediate claim of responsibility. | There was no immediate claim of responsibility. |
| As one of the nation’s most prominent judicial officials, Mr. Barakat was a focal point for militant groups vowing retaliation for the prosecutions of hundreds of Islamists and the death sentences handed down against senior Brotherhood leaders, including Mr. Morsi. | As one of the nation’s most prominent judicial officials, Mr. Barakat was a focal point for militant groups vowing retaliation for the prosecutions of hundreds of Islamists and the death sentences handed down against senior Brotherhood leaders, including Mr. Morsi. |
| Many of Mr. Barakat’s prosecutions had also been criticized by human rights advocates, who said the cases were built on flimsy evidence and politically motivated charges. | Many of Mr. Barakat’s prosecutions had also been criticized by human rights advocates, who said the cases were built on flimsy evidence and politically motivated charges. |
| An Egyptian jihadist group affiliated with the Islamic State — one that has killed judges in the past — posted a video Sunday that appeared to threaten more attacks against the judiciary. The group, which calls itself the Sinai Province, included images that appeared to show an attack in May that killed several judges; fighters are seen spraying a minibus with machine-gun fire. | An Egyptian jihadist group affiliated with the Islamic State — one that has killed judges in the past — posted a video Sunday that appeared to threaten more attacks against the judiciary. The group, which calls itself the Sinai Province, included images that appeared to show an attack in May that killed several judges; fighters are seen spraying a minibus with machine-gun fire. |
| The three-minute video also included brief images of several other prominent judges, including one who sentenced Mr. Morsi to death. | The three-minute video also included brief images of several other prominent judges, including one who sentenced Mr. Morsi to death. |
| But analysts said the bombing on Monday might have been the work, instead, of one of a number of militant groups that have surfaced in the last year with smaller-scale attacks. The emergence of these groups, with names like Revolutionary Punishment, have added to longstanding fears in Egypt that Islamists and other opponents of the government would turn to violence in response to the government’s crackdown. | But analysts said the bombing on Monday might have been the work, instead, of one of a number of militant groups that have surfaced in the last year with smaller-scale attacks. The emergence of these groups, with names like Revolutionary Punishment, have added to longstanding fears in Egypt that Islamists and other opponents of the government would turn to violence in response to the government’s crackdown. |
| The rise of the new groups coincided with a shift in the insurgency’s focus: After nearly two years of attacks mainly against the security services, killing hundreds of soldiers and police officers, the militants have broadened their targets to include civilian officials in the judiciary. | The rise of the new groups coincided with a shift in the insurgency’s focus: After nearly two years of attacks mainly against the security services, killing hundreds of soldiers and police officers, the militants have broadened their targets to include civilian officials in the judiciary. |
| “This was something that was a long time in the making,” said Mokhtar Awad, a researcher at the Center for American Progress in Washington who studies Egyptian Islamist groups. “The groups that I classify as non-jihadist violent Islamists have always had, at the center of their discourse, the issue of retribution. It was clear that police officers were No. 1 on their list, but eventually, this had to include judges.” | “This was something that was a long time in the making,” said Mokhtar Awad, a researcher at the Center for American Progress in Washington who studies Egyptian Islamist groups. “The groups that I classify as non-jihadist violent Islamists have always had, at the center of their discourse, the issue of retribution. It was clear that police officers were No. 1 on their list, but eventually, this had to include judges.” |
| The explosion on Monday hit Mr. Barakat’s small convoy around 10 a.m. as it left the Heliopolis neighborhood near Cairo International Airport. The force of the blast set several cars on fire and shattered windows along the street, injuring at least eight people. | The explosion on Monday hit Mr. Barakat’s small convoy around 10 a.m. as it left the Heliopolis neighborhood near Cairo International Airport. The force of the blast set several cars on fire and shattered windows along the street, injuring at least eight people. |
| Egyptian officials initially said that Mr. Barakat’s wounds were not life-threatening and included bruises to his face and a dislocated shoulder. Later, the Health Ministry said Mr. Barakat had suffered a lacerated liver and died in the hospital from internal bleeding. | Egyptian officials initially said that Mr. Barakat’s wounds were not life-threatening and included bruises to his face and a dislocated shoulder. Later, the Health Ministry said Mr. Barakat had suffered a lacerated liver and died in the hospital from internal bleeding. |
| The explosion raised troubling questions about the government’s security measures, which failed to protect one of its most vulnerable officials even though militants had attempted similar attacks before. In September 2013, Mohamed Ibrahim, who was interior minister at the time, survived a bomb attack on his convoy in Cairo. | The explosion raised troubling questions about the government’s security measures, which failed to protect one of its most vulnerable officials even though militants had attempted similar attacks before. In September 2013, Mohamed Ibrahim, who was interior minister at the time, survived a bomb attack on his convoy in Cairo. |
| Ahmed Shazly, who lives near the site of the latest bombing, said Mr. Barakat appeared to follow the same routine every morning, leaving for work in a two-vehicle convoy, one of them apparently an armored vehicle. | Ahmed Shazly, who lives near the site of the latest bombing, said Mr. Barakat appeared to follow the same routine every morning, leaving for work in a two-vehicle convoy, one of them apparently an armored vehicle. |
| In a statement on Monday, Mr. Sisi praised Mr. Barakat as a “model of judicial integrity” who “exemplified patriotism and diligence.” The government said it was canceling celebrations planned for Tuesday to commemorate the start of the mass protests that preceded Mr. Morsi’s ouster. | In a statement on Monday, Mr. Sisi praised Mr. Barakat as a “model of judicial integrity” who “exemplified patriotism and diligence.” The government said it was canceling celebrations planned for Tuesday to commemorate the start of the mass protests that preceded Mr. Morsi’s ouster. |