Egyptian Culture minister criticises blast outside Italian consulate in Cairo

Culture Minister Abdel Wahed Nabawi on Saturday strongly condemned a terror attack that took place close to the Italian consulate in downtown Cairo.

In a statement, the minister said that such cowardly attacks will not undermine the will of the Egyptians.

The minister ordered the National Organization for Urban Harmony to prepare a report on the condition of the Italian consulate building and other registered architecturally distinctive buildings.

The organization will coordinate with Cairo's executive authorities to form a committee to determine the necessary technical support for the restoration of affected buildings.

According to the initial inspection of the prosecution, a car bomb exploded in front of the Italian consulate in Cairo earlier on Saturday, killing one person and injuring nine others.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the early morning blast, which caused heavy damage to the consulate. It shook other buildings downtown and could be heard in several surrounding neighbourhoods.

Italy's Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said there were no Italian victims in the blast. "Italy will not be intimidated," he said on Twitter.