CAIRO
A minor explosion took place outside an Egyptian courthouse early on Tuesday, causing no casualties, but damaging the façade of the court building, a security source said.
The source added that the blast took place when an unidentified person threw a homemade bomb at the Northern Giza Court and ran away.
"Explosives' experts had immediately moved to the site of the explosion to investigate it," the source said.
The court blast comes as thousands of polling stations across Egypt opened doors for voters for a referendum on the amended version of the 2012 constitution. The referendum on the constitution is a first step on the way of the implementation of Egypt's transitional roadmap, which was declared by the army upon the ouster of elected president Mohamed Morsi on July 3.
Meanwhile, a security source dismissed reports that security forces are expecting similar explosions to take place in vital places in coincidence with the vote.
"Security agencies had cleared polling stations in Cairoand the other provinces," the source told Anadolu Agency.
Around 160,000 army personnel and 220,000 policemen will take part in securing the vote, according to statements from the Egyptian army spokesman and the Interior Ministry.
By Islam Mosaad
englishnews@aa.com.tr