Beiruting News

A pornographic film reportedly shot next to the world-famous Pyramids in Egypt has left antiquities authorities red-faced and begs the question, did the Sphinx blush?

The porn video was allegedly shot by Russian tourists in the area and uploaded to the Internet some nine months ago, English subtitles and all.

In response to the video, Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh al-Demati Thursday said that the filming was illegally conducted by a woman. In the official statement, he added that the issue had been referred on to the public prosecutor.

The official also stated that new surveillance cameras are being installed in the area in an attempt to revamp the tourist site, after an Egyptian lawyer filed a legal complaint against the senior police chief's office and accused them of facilitating the filming of pornographic material.

Meanwhile, newspaper al-Masry al-Youm reported that Osama Karar, the coordinator of the Popular Front to Defend Antiquities in Egypt, said Wednesday that the movie includes a shot of a tour guide and the name of an Egyptian tour company in the video.

"The film was shot in broad daylight and with the knowledge of the officials in charge of the area," Karara said in televised remarks.

Tourism, one of Egypt's key sources of income, has been hard hit by years of unrest since the 2011 uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak.

alarabiya.net