The ANNOTICO Report

Captain of an Egyptian police unit tasked with protecting tourists told
Corriere della Sera that Italians were targeted
due to Italy's military presence in Afghanistan and in Iraq, as well as its
close ties with the administration of US President George W. Bush.

However, Only Two Italians were among the dead (Sebastiano Conti and his
wife Daniela).

Four Italians were officially listed at missing, (Seemingly Relatives and
Friends of the Contis). 21 others were injured in the blasts, claimed by an
Al-Qaeda-linked group.

The total casualty list of all people locals and tourists initially
reported was at least 49 killed and more than 100 wounded.

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Cybernoon
Bombay, India
Tuesday, July 26, 2005

The deadliest of three weekend attacks in the Egyptian resort of
Sharm-el-Sheikh may have directly targeted Italians at a luxury hotel, the
daily Corriere della Sera reported yesterday, citing Egyptian police.

ROME (AFP): The deadliest of three weekend attacks in the Egyptian resort
of Sharm-el-Sheikh may have directly targeted Italians at a luxury hotel,
the daily Corriere della Sera reported yesterday, citing Egyptian police.

"Italians have been coming for such a long time to the Ghazala Garden that
those who attacked the hotel were probably targeting them," Ayman Ibrahim,
captain of a police unit tasked with protecting tourists, told the
newspaper.

Italy has been threatened with attacks in statements on the Internet due to
its military presence in Afghanistan and in Iraq as well as its close ties
with the administration of US President George W. Bush.

At least 88 people, including nine foreigners, were killed in Saturday's
pre-dawn attacks at the Egyptian Red Sea resort. Two Italians were among
the dead.Four Italians were officially listed at missing, and 21 others
were injured in the blasts, claimed by an Al-Qaeda-linked group.

Several Italian newspapers have reported that a few hours before the
explosions, a false bomb alert had taken place in a discotheque owned by an
Italian in Sharm el-Sheikh.Italian media speculated that the false alert
may have been deliberate to divert police attention away from the sites of
the actual attacks.Italian tourists traditionally visit Sharm-el-Sheikh in
great numbers, but thousands have returned to Italy since the attacks and
the vast majority of those who had future holiday plans have cancelled
their trips to the resort.

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