While security authorities are stepping up their hunt for the perpetrator(s) of the attack on the Qiddissein (Two Saints) Church in Alexandria, Cairo's security men have been given an extraordinary task. In collaboration with explosive experts, Cairo's policemen equipped with winches are removing unused cars, abandoned by their owners in the streets. Fears that these vehicles could be turned into booby-traps were reinforced when Cairo's security authorities noticed that such cars were mainly left in densely populated areas. According to a police spokesman, the massive hunt for these 'time bombs' in Cairo led to sharp accusations against Giza's security authorities for their apparent lack of good sense in connection with the techniques used by the perpetrator(s) of the brutal attack in Alexandria. Official estimates indicated that thousands of derelict cars were left in Giza's crowded streets and squares. The Cairo Security Department spokesman stated reproachfully that this task should have been undertaken years ago " and regularly " by the municipality. He said that it was outrageous that officials were oblivious of these cars' criminal potential, like sheltering lawbreakers and drug addicts at night. Even worse, recently arrested rapists told investigators that they raped their young victims (street children) in windowless buses and cars abandoned in quiet areas. It has also been said that Cairo's municipality officials ignored the fact that abandoned cars frustrated efforts to remove mountains of rubbish from the capital's streets and squares. Citizens collaborated with local environmentalists to complain that these cars were turned into dumping places for tonnes of rubbish. Acitizen living near one of these dumps accused local environmentalists and the municipality of ignoring his warning that the place was infested with vermin and insects. “Our children are threatened by epidemics,” the enraged citizen said. “We contacted everybody, including the district environmentalists, to take action and save us, but absolutely nothing got done.” The citizen, who is a shop owner, also said that in addition to vermin and insects, the dump became a colony of stray dogs. “Dozens of them gather in the place and do not stop barking at night,” he said. “This place is hell.” On the other hand, motorists appear optimistic that the removal of abandoned cars would ease traffic jams. Abdu Ismail, a taxi driver, said that these cars made narrow streets even narrower, allowing cars to pass in only one direction. Although Cairo police promised that they would not stop until all these potential time bombs were removed, motorists and citizens are worried that this 'sudden enthusiasm' is short-lived and could fizzle out before the task is completed
