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                   Cairo Car Bomb Wounds Six Police Officers

   by VOA News

   Egyptian officials say a large car bomb exploded outside a state
   security building in Cairo early Thursday, wounding at least six
   police, in the country's latest militant attack.

   The massive blast, which occurred about 2:00 a.m. local time, tore the
   facade off the government building and shattered windows of surrounding
   buildings in the residential neighborhood, Shubra.

   Eyewitnesses say the bombers parked the explosives-laden car outside
   the government facility before escaping in another vehicle. The
   explosion was so loud that it awoke residents throughout the capital,
   according to social media posts.

   No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

   Insurgents have killed hundreds of police in a wave of attacks on
   mostly official targets since the 2013 military ouster of Islamist
   President Mohamed Morsi.

   Recently, the militants have focused more of their attacks on
   civilians.

   Some of the worst attacks have been carried out by a group calling
   itself the Sinai Province, which claims allegiance with the Islamic
   State organization.

   The latest attack comes days after Egypt adopted a vague new
   anti-terrorism law, which critics say is an attempt to legitimize
   government human rights abuses.

   Among the act's provisions are punishments up to death for forming or
   leading a terror group, a life sentence for financing terrorism and
   jail terms for inciting or preparing to incite attacks.

   The new law also includes punishments for journalists who go against
   the official version of an attack, threatening them with fines of
   between $25,000 and $64,000. An earlier draft version included possible
   jail sentences for journalists.

   Human Rights Watch on Wednesday slammed the new law.
   "With this sweeping new decree, Egypt's president has taken a big step
   toward enshrining a permanent state of emergency as the law of the
   land," HRW's Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director Nadim Houry
   said.  "The government has equipped itself with even greater powers to
   continue stamping out its critics and opponents under its vague and
   ever-expanding war on terrorism."

   After forcing Morsi from power, the government launched a massive
   crackdown against his Muslim Brotherhood, labeling the group a
   terrorist organization and arresting much of its leadership.

   Security forces also responded violently to Brotherhood protests and
   demands that Morsi be reinstated, setting off clashes that left more
   than 1,000 people dead.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/cairo-car-bomb/2925086.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/cairo-car-bomb/2925086.html