Commenting on the controversial pictures posted on the social media, depicting porn star Carmen De Luz posing next to the Pyramids, Antiquities Department Director Mahmoud Afifi said that De Luz was visiting the Second Panorama area of the plateau, which is an empty desert, adding that she apologized when she learned that people in Egypt were offended by her pictures. The statement came during the Rola Kharsa television talk show.
Answering to the show host's question about the security of the plateau, Afifi said the surveillance cameras situated in the area were stolen four years ago. “However, we are going to find out who helped her enter the area and take those pictures,” he added.
The Pyramids Media Centre of the Ministry of Antiquities had issued a statement on Friday, saying that the Pyramids Plateau is a very large area, and that the pictures were shot in a vast empty desert. The statement added that there are three points of entry to the area: from the Mena House Hotel, the Sphinx and the southern hill, which is reserved for the visitors riding camels or horses. All of these entry points secured by the Tourism Police, ministry staff and public security agencies, whereas the desert area is protected only by the Tourism Police, equipped with 4×4 vehicles and camels.
The statement said Carmen De Luz was shown riding a camel, which means she must have entered the area from the southern entry to the Second Panorama, situated three kilometers away from the pyramids. It added that De Luz must have stayed in the area until after 5 PM, and that the Tourism Police should have made sure no visitors remained in the Plateau after closing time.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
