Shots At PM’s Convoy Not Political Act: Spokesman

A spokesman for Egypt’s Cabinet said on Monday that there were no political motivations behind an incident the day before when gunfire was directed at Prime Minister Hisham Qandil’s convoy.

A pickup truck fired birdshot pellets at Prime Minister Hisham Qandil’s convoy as it was passing through Giza’s Nahda Square on Sunday night.

Spokesperson Alaa El-Hadidy explained in a press statement that the attack was a criminal act, saying that the truck had obstructed the convoy as the prime minister was on his way home, and bumped into one of the security cars accompanying the convoy. Pellets were then shot from inside the pickup truck at security.

El-Hadidy also confirmed that the prime minister was not harmed. However, two passersby were hit by the pickup truck trying to escape, and a police officer and a police conscript were injured.

One of those hit by the truck, Taha Hassan, died of his injuries on Monday at 6 October Hospital in Dokki. Hassan, his brother told Ahram Arabic, was a street vendor who was passing near the site of the incident.

Five people inside the pickup truck were arrested and two birdshot guns were found in their possession.

Initial investigations revealed that the five arrested inside the car were on their way from a street fight in Cairo’s Manial district when they encountered the convoy, and they mistakenly thought that the convoy’s security car belonged to the police, according to the Ahram’s Arabic website,

Ahram