Shots fired at tourists

Assiut, Egypt (AP) - Gunmen shot at a bus carrying German tourists in southern Egypt yesterday but missed their target, police said. The attack, apparently the work of Muslim extremists, occurred near Manfalout, 19 miles (30km) north of Assiut. The city, 170 miles south of Cairo, is a focal point of Muslim extremist violence.

Police said the bus was on its way from the southern city of Luxor to Cairo. Police escorting the bus exchanged fire with the attackers.

It was the fifth attack against tourists in Egypt this year, all minor, with no injuries. The militants have traditionally targeted police and Egyptian Christians. They turned to attacking tourists last year to embarrass the government and reduce its largest source of foreign currency.