Devastation in Dahab Egypt

The New York Times and other papers, including Ha'aretz, are reporting that a series of bombs detonated in the Egyptian resort city of Dahab, killing at least 100 people.

Three explosions Monday night rocked the Egyptian resort city of Dahab and there were at least 100 dead and wounded, according to the doctor who runs Egypt's Sinai Peninsula rescue squad.

Dr. Said Essa said he was headed to the scene of the blasts, one of which hit the el-Mashrabiyah Hotel.

Dahab is located on the Gulf of Aqaba on the eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula.

UPDATE:
Dahab is apparently well known for its windsurfing and scuba diving. Israelis also frequent the locale, and as a resort town, and one should expect the usual suspects to come forward claiming credit for the attacks considering that these attacks are similar to attacks in Sinai in 2004 or in Sharm el Sheikh in 2005 as well as at other tourist related sites around the world (Amman, Jordan and Bali, Indonesia). Here's a hint. It won't be the Quakers.

In each case, multiple bombs were detonated by terrorists killing scores of people.

The terrorists have no qualms about killing dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people. My sympathies go to the families of the victims.

UPDATE:
Israel's envoy to Egypt says that the best thing to do for Israelis vacationing in Egypt is to head back into Israel. Dozens of Israeli ambulances are at the Egypt/Israel border should they be needed, though it looks like no Israelis were killed in the blasts. Thus far, 22 people have been confirmed killed and 150+ wounded.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz ordered the Israel Defense Forces to offer rescue and medical assistance to Egypt. There was no immediate response to the offer. The IDF moved into a higher state of alert and rescue and medical units in the Homefront Command increased their level or readiness.

Channel 10 TV reported the IDF had closed the Taba crossing, preventing vehicles from entering Sinai. It said a stream of Israeli vehicles were leaving Egypt.

"We don't know of Israelis" who were hurt, Israel's ambassador to Egypt, Shalom Cohen, told Channel 10, though some Israelis were known to be in Dahab.

This is high tourist season - part of a five-day Egyptian holiday - and hotels all along the Egyptian coasts could be expected to be at near capacity.

"There is smoke coming from the area and there are people running everywhere," said a witness, who did not want to be named.

Body parts and debris were seen in the streets after an explosion in a tourist restaurant, other residents said. One visitor said cars and buses leaving the resort were being stopped by police.

"There were body parts and debris in the street ... There are ambulances and cars taking people to hospital," said another resident who also did not want to be named.

UPDATE:
Radical Egyptian militants are being blamed for this attack, though there is a smattering of Egyptians looking to blame the Mossad for it. The death toll is now 30, with hundreds injured. So far, no claims of responsibility have been made. Some articles are noting that this happened just hours after Osama's latest tapes were released. There's no way to know whether there was some kind of connection between the two events - at least until the terrorists involved are caught and intel gleaned from their persons.

Technorati: egypt, dahab, bombing, terrorism.