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Blast at Italian Consulate’s Compound in Cairo Kills at Least 1 ISIS Claims Responsibility for Blast at Italian Consulate in Cairo
(about 3 hours later)
CAIRO — A powerful explosion outside the Italian Consulate’s compound in downtown Cairo early Saturday killed at least one person and was the first major bombing of a foreign diplomatic mission since the start of an insurgency here nearly two years ago. CAIRO — The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a powerful explosion outside the Italian Consulate’s compound in downtown Cairo early Saturday that killed one person and was the first major bombing of a foreign diplomatic mission since the start of an insurgency here nearly two years ago.
The explosion, which occurred about 6:15 a.m., jolted residents awake across the city and brought down slabs of the consulate’s outer walls. Initial reports from state television said a car bomb had detonated near one of the capital’s busiest intersections and under a major bridge. The explosion, which occurred about 6:15 a.m., jolted residents awake across the city and brought down slabs of the consulate’s outer walls. Initial reports from state television said the explosion was caused by a car bomb that had detonated near one of Cairo’s busiest intersections and under a major bridge.
A statement by the Islamic State extremist group that was circulated on jihadist Twitter accounts on Saturday said the group’s “soldiers” had carried out the attack, using a 450-kilogram car bomb. The statement warned Muslims to stay away from “security dens” because they were “legitimate targets.” A statement by the Islamic State that was circulated on jihadist Twitter accounts on Saturday said the group’s “soldiers” had carried out the attack, using a 450-kilogram car bomb. The statement warned Muslims to stay away from “security dens” because they were “legitimate targets.”
It was not possible to confirm the authenticity of the statement.  It carried a logo that said “Islamic State, Egypt” — rather than that of “Sinai Province,”  an Egyptian militant group that has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks and last year declared its affiliation with the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, which is based in Syria and Iraq. The bombing of a foreign consulate represented a painful milestone for the government in its struggle to contain an expanding insurgency that has mounted a series of recent, spectacular attacks. Over the past few weeks, militants have assassinated the country’s top prosecutor, carried out a large-scale assault on troops stationed in the Sinai Peninsula and tried to attack Egypt’s best-known tourist attractions.
At least nine people were injured, including a police officer and three passers-by who were members of the same family, a Health Ministry spokesman said. The tenacity of the militants has undermined promises of greater security by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a former general who led the military takeover of the government two years ago and has drawn support from Egyptians weary of protests and political turmoil.
Mr. Sisi’s government has responded to the violence with tough words and by proposing stringent laws that officials assert will help the authorities fight militants. Human rights groups have criticized the measures, including an antiterrorism law, as misdirected and say they allow the government greater latitude to punish political opponents, journalists and civil rights groups.
The attack on Saturday raised new questions about whether the government’s strategy — including its sweeping crackdown on dissidents — could tame the insurgency. Rather, the militants appeared to be broadening the scope of their attacks after months of targeting the security services and killing hundreds of police officers and soldiers.
Unlike previous statements, the claim of responsibility for the bombing on Saturday did not carry the logo of the “Sinai Province,” an Egyptian group based in the Sinai Peninsula that has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks and last year declared its affiliation with the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. It was not clear whether the logo on the latest statement — which said “Islamic State, Egypt” — was meant to announce the arrival of a new group.
The statement did not say why the Italian Consulate had been targeted. The compound was far less heavily fortified than other Western diplomatic missions.
An Italian diplomat told The Associated Press that the consulate was closed at the time and that no staff members were wounded.An Italian diplomat told The Associated Press that the consulate was closed at the time and that no staff members were wounded.
The bombing of a foreign consulate was another worrying milestone for the government, which has struggled against an expanding insurgency. In the past few weeks, militants have attacked one of Egypt’s best-known tourist attractions, assassinated the country’s top prosecutor and mounted a large-scale assault on troops stationed in the Sinai Peninsula. At least nine people were wounded, including a police officer and three passers-by who were from the same family, a Health Ministry spokesman said.
The attacks have challenged the leadership of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a former general who led the military takeover of the government two years ago and rose to power vowing to impose security after years of street protests and political turmoil.
An expanding array of militant groups have participated in the attacks, among them jihadists who have tried to capture territory in the Sinai Peninsula and newer groups that have bombed stores and other places of economic value.
Mr. Sisi’s government has responded to the violence by proposing tough new laws that officials assert will help the authorities fight the militants. Human rights groups have criticized the measures, including an antiterrorism law, as misdirected and say they allow the government greater latitude to punish political opponents, journalists and civil rights groups.
It was not clear why the Italian Consulate was a target, though it was far less heavily fortified than other Western embassies that have erected barricades and other security measures over the past few years in response to the threat of militant attacks.
One entrance to the compound, which includes a school, a cultural center and a restaurant, was barely set back from a busy road. The worst damage to the building appeared above an alley along the side of the compound.