Egypt arrests eight for Sinai hotel blast

Eight Egyptians have been arrested and accused of plotting the nearly simultaneous car bombings of a hotel and tourist camp in the Sinai that killed at least 34 people earlier this month.

The Interior Ministry also said the mastermind of the attacks, identified as Palestinian Ayad Said Salah, died in the October 7 explosion at the hotel along with a fellow plotter, Egyptian Suleiman Ahmed Saleh Flayfil.

The statement said the two had been trying to leave the scene but their timed explosives went off prematurely.

The Taba Hilton was heavily damaged in the worst of three near-simultaneous blasts blamed on terrorists.

One of those arrested, Mohamed Ahmed Saleh Flayfil, was the brother of the Egyptian killed carrying out the hotel bombing, the ministry said.