Political turmoil continues to rage in Egypt as a firebombing at a Cairo nightclub on Friday has left 16 people dead.
Political turmoil continues to rage inside Egypt as 16 people were killed on Friday in a firebombing attack on a nightclub in Cairo. At least two firebombs were tossed into the nightclub in the early morning hours of Friday by at least two suspects. The enormous roar of the explosions could be heard all over the city as smoke rose into the sky in great clouds.
The country has been in political upheaval since a military coup and Islamic extremists have been trying to regain power since, according to The New York Times. Early investigations reveal that the bombing was triggered by a dispute between certain members of the nightclub’s staff. While the country’s capital city has been under attack in the past by Islamic extremists, the police in Cairo are looking at the bombing of the El Sayed nightclub as a crime rather than a terrorist attack.
The El Sayed nightclub was located in the basement of a building and, because of its subterranean location, had few avenues of escape available to those people who were inside the club at the time of the bombing. Police believe that no one escaped the bombing and that all of the dead either died from smoke inhalation or from simply burning to death.
The bombs were tossed into the nightclub at 6:30 AM Cairo time. Investigators state that the only people that were inside the club at the time was likely the cleaning crew who were finishing up and making preparations to leave and go home. A witness, who works at a nearby pharmacy, saw two men riding away from the explosions on motor bikes.
Relatives came by to identify and claim the bodies of their loved ones. Nine of the bodies, including 3 women, were sent over to a nearby hospital. The cause of their deaths was officially listed as smoke inhalation. Apparently, a dispute had erupted during the course of the evening between a group of angry customers and certain staff members. The groups had promised to return later in the evening to settle things. One of the disaffected has been identified as a former employee who had been fired from his position.
