Arroyo condemns terrorist attack in Egypt

President Arroyo condemned yesterday the latest car bomb attack that killed at least 35 people and wounded 160 others at a resort hotel in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula Thursday night.

As of yesterday, there were no reported casualties among overseas Filipinos working in the area.

Nonetheless, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye expressed the indignation of Filipinos over this attack, the latest in a series of Egyptian resort bombings that bore hallmarks of the al-Qaeda international terror network founded by Saudi-born Osama bin Laden.

"We deeply sympathize with the families of the victims of the condemnable terrorist attack in Egypt," Bunye said.

"It is sad that while the world has moved forward considerably in the fight against terror, these incidents still happen — marking the need for all nations to be more vigilant, to close ranks, and to find common solutions to forge peace and harmony under the rule of law," he added.

Bunye issued this statement as the President wrapped up her participation in the just-concluded 5th Asia-Europe Meeting summit held in Vietnam. The global campaign against terrorism was among the issues taken up during the meeting.

Two previously unknown groups of Islamic militants have claimed responsibility for the attack at the Taba Hilton, which occurred at the close of holidays in both Israel and Egypt. Two smaller blasts quickly followed in Ras Shitan, a beach-bungalow camping area near the town of Nuweiba south of Taba. The camps were full of vacationing Israelis.

Of those killed in the attacks, there were five Israelis, seven Egyptians and the rest foreigners whose nationalities were not immediately determined. Most of the deaths were at the Taba Hilton.

At least two Britons and an undetermined number of Russians were among those injured in the attack.