Sinai blasts 'mega-terrorism'

2004-10-08 22:17

Jerusalem - Israel's defence minister Shaul Mofaz said on Friday the Sinai peninsula bombings that killed at least 30 people, among them 23 Israelis, were "mega terrorism," local media reported.

"We're dealing with mega-terrorism and an attempt to perpetrate a mega-attack.

"The authors' identity is not known, but it is crystal clear they tried to hit as many Israelis as possible," Mofaz was quoted as saying during an emergency cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv.

"The main objective now is to save lives. We are focused on evacuating the wounded and rescuing those trapped under the rubble," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon presided over the meeting, which was also attended by foreign minister Silvan Shalom, health minister Danny Naveh and other senior security officials.

'There can be no compromise'

"Terrorism doesn't distinguish between countries or peoples. Terrorism is global and its goal is to attack the free world," Sharon was quoted as saying by his office.

"There can be no compromise with terrorism. It must be fought relentlessly, in every way possible," he added.

Sharon vowed earlier on Friday to step up anti-terror co-operation with Egypt.

"Prime Minister Sharon and Egyptian President (Hosni) Mubarak agreed to concentrate efforts and forces in the war on terrorism, and noted that there is no difference between terrorism and terrorism," a statement released by office said.

Mofaz also spoke with his Egyptian counterpart, Mohammed Tantawi, in order to allow Israeli army rescue teams into Egypt, the media said.

General Yair Naveh has been put in charge of co-ordinating rescue efforts.

Naveh told a press conference that 28 bodies had been retrieved so far, including those of 23 Israelis and five Egyptians.

Egyptian police said seven victims were Egyptian nationals, lifting the overall death toll to 30.

Thirty people were missing, Naveh said, adding that more than 120 people had been wounded.

The deadly blasts targeted Taba's Hilton hotel, on the Egyptian-Israeli border and two other resorts farther south on the Sinai coast.

- AFP