Egypt

Al-Qaida involvement in bombings discounted

A Palestinian refugee plotted the coordinated bombings targeting Israeli tourists at resorts in the Sinai and accidentally killed himself while carrying out the deadliest blast, Egyptian authorities said Monday.

Discounting the theory of al-Qaida involvement, an Interior Ministry statement said Ayad Said Saleh was motivated by the deteriorating situation in the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip, which his relatives fled in 1967, and carried out the attack with the help of local residents.

But security officials speaking on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press they believed the Oct. 7 attacks on the Taba Hilton and two beach camps packed with Israelis may have been carried out with help from Islamic groups based outside Egypt, though not necessarily Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida group.

Israel

Arafat allowed to seek medical treatment

Israel gave Yasser Arafat permission Monday to briefly leave his compound to receive medical treatment in the West Bank city of Ramallah, heightening concerns the Palestinian leader is seriously ill.

The decision by Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz would allow Arafat to leave his compound in Ramallah for the first time in 2 1/2 years.

Palestinian officials said Arafat was recovering from a lengthy bout of the flu but was feeling better and would not accept Israel’s offer.

Afghanistan

Fraud probe delays Karzai’s election triumph

A panel investigating allegations of fraud in Afghanistan’s landmark presidential election met Monday with representatives of runaway winner Hamid Karzai’s opponents, who accuse him of cheating his way to victory.

Although the U.S.-backed incumbent is assured of clinching a clear majority of the votes, election officials say they won’t call the result until the investigation is complete and the small number of outstanding votes tallied.

With nearly 97 percent of ballots counted, Karzai has 55.5 percent of the votes, 39 points ahead of his closest rival, former Education Minister Yunus Qanooni. He needs to win 50 percent of the votes to avoid a runoff.

The panel of three experts from Canada, Britain and Sweden was convened to head off an election boycott by Qanooni and 14 other candidates.