Egypt Police Kill 2 Massacre Suspects

In an hours-long gun battle amid sugar-cane fields, Egyptian police Tuesday killed two men they suspected of participating in the massacre of 18 Greek tourists near the Great Pyramids.

Four policemen died and 14 others were wounded in clashes with the militants near the town of Malawi, about 50 miles north of Assiut.

It was Egypt’s bloodiest day since assailants opened fire on the tourists outside the Europa Hotel in Cairo on Thursday.

Gamaa al Islamiya, or the Islamic Group, claimed responsibility for last week’s attack, saying it meant to kill Israeli tourists to avenge the Israeli bombing of Lebanon. The Islamic Group is the largest militant organization in Egypt.

Since the attack, the government has sent thousands of police into fields and towns in southern Egypt to search for the assailants. Police have arrested hundreds of suspects.