A bomb in a Cairo bazaar popular with tourists killed a US citizen, a Frenchwoman and a man who was probably the bomber, Egyptian officials say.
A previously unknown group calling itself the Islamic Pride Brigades said it was behind Thursday's bomb in an Internet posting whose authenticity could not be verified.
It said one of its militants carried out a suicide attack to protest against the "tyranny" of the government of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and US policies in the region.
Tourism Minister Ahmed el-Maghrabi told Reuters the American man died overnight from wounds sustained in the attack on in Cairo's medieval quarter, where tourists vital to Egypt's economy flock to see ancient mosques and buy souvenirs. Ten people were still in Egyptian hospital with wounds caused by a bomb packed with nails, he said.
Officials have said it was probably detonated by an Egyptian whose remains had been gathered from the scene. DNA tests were being carried out to establish the suspected bomber's identity.
"It's a very unsophisticated type of device, typical of acts planned and executed by one individual," Maghrabi said, quoting a cabinet report on the attack. Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif said he would have to await the results of investigations to be sure of the details. "I do not imagine we will reach a result quickly," he told reporters.