Egyptian Blast Kills at Least Two Dozen; Judge Scolds Justice Dept. in Anthrax Case; Dutch Prosecutor Dumps PC Loaded with Sensitive Information

Egyptian Blast Kills at Least Two Dozen

A massive explosion at an Egyptian resort hotel killed at least two dozen people and wounded more than 100 others in an apparent terrorist attack aimed at Israeli tourists. According to a report in the Washington Post, the blast occurred at 10 p.m. at the Taba Hilton. Early reports indicate that two or three explosions rocked the hotel. However, the Associated Press reported that Egyptian security officials said they had no evidence of terrorism and believed the explosion occurred among gas tanks in the hotel kitchen.

For more details, read the full report in the Washington Post.

Judge Scolds Justice Dept. in Anthrax Case

A federal judge scolded government prosecutors Thursday for not plugging leaks to the press describing former Army scientist Steven J. Hatfill as a “person of interest” in the investigation of anthrax attacks that killed five and made 17 others ill in the fall of 2001. Haftill is suing the Justice Department for defamation and invasion of privacy. According to a report in the Washington Post, U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton said he was “extremely troubled” by recent newspaper articles that quote anonymous law enforcement officials saying Hatfill is still under suspicion. Walton ordered the Justice Department to respond to Hatfills allegations within 30 days. He filed suit against the government in August 2003.

For more details, read the full article in the Washington Post.

Dutch Prosecutor Dumps PC Loaded with Sensitive Information

A Dutch prosecutor has been caught dumping an old personal computer that contained sensitive information about himself and criminal investigations in Amsterdam. According to a report in The Register, Joost Tonino discarded his PC, which he hadn’t used for two years, because he thought it contained a virus. A taxi driver discovered the computer, fixed it and passed it on to a crime reporter. The reporter found hundreds of legal files and personal information, including credit card numbers and personal tax files.

For more information, read the full article in The Register.