 Dr Ahmed Nazif said the attacks targeted tourism |
Egyptian authorities have denied that an attack on tourists in Cairo on Saturday signalled a return of Islamist militant violence. They say the incident was a result of an operation against a small group blamed for a bomb attack that killed three tourists in the capital in April.
Three suspects were killed and 10 people, including four foreigners, were injured in Saturday's attacks.
Militants carried out several deadly attacks in Egypt in the 1990s.
'Tourism targeted'
In Saturday's attack, police said a suicide bomber detonated explosives as officers pursued him near the Egyptian Museum.
Soon after, a tourist bus was fired on by two veiled women said to be the sister and fiancee of the bomber.
Police said one of the women shot the other before killing herself.
Egyptian Prime Minister Dr Ahmed Nazif said the attack did not signal the return of violent Islamist militancy.
"I do not think any Egyptian agrees with such incidents which destabilise security and attempt to threaten the Egyptian society and one of the sources of its livelihood, which is tourism," he told Egyptian television.
"I do not think this will be a pattern in Egypt. I am positive that our society and the security services are able to maintain security and safety."
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