Cairo Car Bomb Hits Italian Consulate, One Dead

Cairo Car Bomb Hits Italian Consulate, One Dead

CAIRO, July 11 (UPI) — One person died and at least seven others were injured when a car bomb hit the Italian consulate in Cairo early Saturday, in the first major attack on a diplomatic mission in Egypt since the start of an insurgency two years ago.

The explosion, at about 6:15 a.m., struck one of the busiest intersections in downtown Cairo. The injured included at least three passers-by who were members of the same family. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. The embassy was closed at the time.

Security officials said the bomb was placed under a deserted car near the consulate. The Italian consulate had been only one of two diplomatic missions remaining in Cairo.

Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Twitter there were no Italian victims.

“Italy is not intimidated,” he said

On June 29, Egypt’s top prosecutor, Hisham Barakat, was killed in a car bomb. Earlier the same month, a car bomb was found in front of the Saudi consulate.

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