A military funeral will be held tomorrow for Egypt’s Prosecutor-General Hisham Barakat who lost his life a few hours ago. The 65-year-Mr Barakat died of wounds sustained in a bomb attack on his convoy in Cairo’s eastern district Heliopolis. According to a Health Ministry spokesman, he suffered ruptures to the nose and left shoulder, and internal bleeding in the lungs and stomach. He was moved to al-Nuzha hospital in Heliopolis, where he underwent surgery but did not survive.
Nine persons, including two drivers, one civilian and five policemen were injured in the bombing.
The presidency issued a statement announcing the death of Mr Barakat and offering sincere condolences to this family, friends, and the Egyptian people. “Egypt has today lost a figure of the judiciary who always displayed noble character and values, dedication, perseverance, and patriotism. The deceased, who died at the hands of vicious terrorists, will always remain a worthy role model of an honourable figure of the judiciary.”
The statement warned that those who committed the crime will be caught, and handed the harshest penalty. The State, the statement said, will not allow itself to be diverted from its path of bringing about security and stability to Egypt.
Celebrations to mark the second anniversary of the 30 June Revolution, which led to the overthrow of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood (MB) rule that came to Egypt in the wake of the Arab Spring, have been called off in mourning for the death of Barakat.
Prosecutor Barakat was sworn in as Egypt’s top prosecutor in July 2013.
A Muslim Brotherhood (MB) affiliated group which calls itself the Popular Resistance announced it was responsible for the bombing. Barakat is the top Egyptian official to be assassinated since the ouster of the Islamist MB president Mursi two years ago. The attack came as Egyptian security forces were already on high alert in the wake of terrorist threats from the MB.
Islamist MB militants, who have primarily targeted security forces since the removal of the Islamist Muslim Brother president Muhammad Mursi, have also attacked several judges during the last months. In May, three judges and their driver were killed when gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in the North Sinai city of al-Arish. In March, a small bomb was left in front of the house of judge Fathi Bayoumi, who investigated the corruption charges against Mubarak-era interior minister Habib al-Adly. In January, a bomb attack targeting Judge Khaled Mahgoub, who acted for the general prosecution in Mursi’s jailbreak trial, caused damage to the windows and walls of his house.
The Churches of Egypt—the Coptic Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical—all issued statements of condolence on the death of Barakat. The announced their solidarity with Egypt’s efforts against terrorism and prayed that that the soul of the deceased would rest in peace.
Watani International
29 June 2015