Bomb Near Cairo Bus Raises Fear of Growing Militancy

A small bomb exploded near a municipal bus here on Thursday, raising fears that deepening political polarization of the country is fueling a violent insurgency.

The bombing, which injured five passengers, came two days after an apparent suicide car bombing killed 16 people at a police headquarters in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura.

Though thousands of Egyptians have died in political violence since the 2011 uprising, most were killed in street fighting surrounding protests. In the restive Sinai Peninsula, Islamic militants have mounted dozens of bombings and attacks, mainly targeting security forces.

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David Barnett, a researcher at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said militant groups such as Ansar Bait Al-Maqdis may be trying to exploit anger over the crackdown on the Brotherhood.

The group, also known as Ansar Jerusalem, has long criticized the Brotherhood for its democratic leanings and willingness to engage in Egypt's mostly secular political system—an effort it considers futile.

“It's not necessarily Ansar Jerusalem defending the Brotherhood,” Mr. Barnett said. “They simply view now as an opportune time to promote their cause. They say: 'We knew this would happen, we told you this would happen, now you can either be arrested protesting peacefully or you can fight back a little.' “

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