Adel al-Khayat, who was appointed as the governor of the touristic city of Luxor last week, resigned from his post on Sunday in a press conference held with members of his Islamist Building and Development Party.

“I found it necessary to present my resignation to protect the lives of Egyptians,” Khayat told the conference.

He added that he never strove for the post and that he decided on the resignation after discussing the idea with his party.

President Mohamed Mursi’s decision to appoint Khayat had stirred anger, especially among Luxor residents, because the resigned governor belongs to al-Gamaa al-Islamiya which is responsible for an armed attack in Luxor that killed 58 tourists in 1997.

Tourism Minister Hisham Zazour presented his resignation on Wednesday in protest against Khayat’s appointment, but Prime Minister Hisham Kandil's cabinet turned it down.