There were people lying dead outside the hotel and people injured on the floor crying and screaming Harry Poulianas, eye-witness

A Greek tour guide said had it not been for the fact that the coach provided some cover, many more would have been killed.

Harry Poulianas, a tourist who was standing by the coach, said he ran back inside the hotel under a hail of bullets.

"When I came out there were people lying dead outside the hotel and people injured on the floor crying and screaming," he said.

None of the hotel's six security guards was armed and a police patrol which had been posted in the area to protect tourists was withdrawn several months ago.

So far no group has admitted carrying out the attack but it is widely believed to have been the work of Islamic militants who are attempting to overthrow the secular Egyptian Government.

Before today's attack more than 920 people, including 26 foreigners, had been killed in political violence in Egypt during the past four years.

The last major attack on tourists was in 1993 when eight Austrians and eight Egyptian were injured when gunmen opened fire on a tour bus in Cairo.

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