Egypt violence: Large car bomb in central Cairo

A car bomb has exploded outside the police headquarters in Egypt's capital, killing four people and wounding 51, Egypt's health ministry says.

The powerful blast was felt across Cairo and black smoke could be seen rising over the city centre.

A second explosion was later heard in the city's Dokki district.

The blasts come on the eve of the third anniversary of the 2011 uprising that led to the removal of the country's decades-long ruler Hosni Mubarak.

No group has said it was behind the attacks.
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They came a day after five policemen were shot dead by two gunmen on motorcycles at a checkpoint in Beni Suef province, south of Cairo.

Tense time
In the first incident, officials said a booby-trapped car exploded outside Cairo's security directorate.

Gunfire was reportedly heard soon afterwards.

More than 30 ambulances raced to the scene. Most of the wounded are now in hospital, the health ministry says.

There was extensive damage to the large concrete building with debris strewn across the street.

Around six police officers sat on the pavement outside and wept, an Associated Press photographer said.

The nearby Islamic museum and the National Archives building were also damaged.

Few details have so far emerged about the second reported explosion in the Dokki district.

The BBC's Orla Guerin, reporting from Cairo, says the security directorate is a very significant target and should have been one of the best protected buildings in the city.

The attack comes at a tense time, with security forces already on heightened alert ahead of the anniversary of the start of the uprising against Mubarak, she adds.

The banned Muslim Brotherhood and its partners are planning demonstrations after Friday prayers across the country.

They are the latest in a series of regular demonstrations against the overthrow in July of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

Brotherhood supporters are also angry about recent moves to introduce a new constitution.

Interim Prime Minister Hazem Beblawi, speaking in a BBC interview before news of the blast, set out conditions for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held within the next six months.

He said any supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood could take part if "he accepts the new constitution... refuses the use of force and he accepts the idea of a secular government, democratic one, open, no discrimination, no mixing of religion and politics, and accepting human rights".