Senior Muslim Brotherhood figure arrested over Giza shooting

Egypt has arrested a senior member of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group on suspicion of involvement in an attack on Israeli Arab tourists on Thursday at a hotel close to the Giza pyramids.

No one was hurt in the attack, during which more than a dozen individuals opened fire on the tourists with fireworks and birdshot, causing some damage to the hotel’s facade and tour buses parked nearby.

Egyptian media reported Monday that security services had arrested Abed Al A’al Al Asiri, along with two of his sons and seven other suspects.

The tourists, who numbered roughly 40, were Israeli Arabs, mainly from the northern town of Umm al-Fahm.

According to initial reports, the shooters were part of a mob of 15 individuals that gathered outside the Three Pyramids Hotel. They were identified by Egyptian media as linked to the Muslim Brotherhood group. Early reports said they shot fireworks and rubber bullets at the hotel as the Israelis were unpacking their suitcases from the buses.

The shooters aimed at the tourists as they walked from the entrance of the hotel to the parked buses nearby.