Security committee set up for Nations Cup, says CAF president

By Nick Said

DURBAN (Reuters) – African Football Confederation (CAF) President Ahmad said that a special committee had been set up to deal with security issues at the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt next month.

At least 12 people were injured when an explosion hit a bus carrying mainly South African tourists to Cairo 10 days ago. The rudimentary device containing nails and pieces of metal exploded on the perimeter of the Egyptian Grand Museum.

The Egyptian Interior Ministry recently announced that the militant group Hasm is planning a series of attacks in the country to create an "atmosphere of chaos".

The Nations Cup will feature 24 teams from across the continent playing in Cairo, Alexandria, Ismailia and Suez from June 21 to July 19.

"Security is a big problem in the world, not just in Egypt. No country can be sure that nothing will happen. It's very sad to feel so, "Ahmad told reporters Wednesday, during a two-day visit to South Africa.

"The Egyptian government and CAF have for the first time set up a safety committee and they will continue to work together to try to make sure that nothing will happen. "

An investigation by Reuters last month revealed that Egyptian security forces had shot dead hundreds of suspected militants in what the Interior Ministry had described as mbadacres, but that bereaved families had called extrajudicial killings.

At the Nations Cup in 2010, three people were killed when the bus of the Togo team was attacked by activists while they were going to the tournament in Angola, whose Assistant coach Amelete Abalo.

Togo withdrew from the tournament, resulting in a CAF ban for the next two editions, although this was later canceled by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

(Report by Nick Said, edited by Toby Davis)