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Al-Qaeda-inspired militants blamed for Egyptian church attack
Local militants inspired by al-Qaeda have been blamed for a New Year's Day attack on an Egyptian church which killed 21 people.
Egyptian Christians protest outside the al-Abasseya Cathedral in Cairo Photo: AP
By Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent 5:19PM GMT 02 Jan 2011
As newspapers warned of "civil war" between the country's Muslims and its Coptic Christian minority, officials said a number of arrests had been made.
They said they were investigating a group of radical Salafi Sunni Muslims based in Alexandria, which was not under "foreign command" but may have been inspired by the international terrorist group.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the offshoot that has been fighting an often sectarian war in that country, had issued public statements criticising the Coptic Church.
One, two weeks ago, called for local people to attack Coptic targets.
Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility, Egyptian analysts said that al-Qaeda, which has had little impact locally in the past, appeared to be "announcing its presence".
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"This has the features of al-Qaeda," said Diaa Rashwan, an analyst with the Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies. "It resembles what we see outside Egypt.
"This was professional, and they probably have more explosives. I fear that they have another attack planned, or they could be pushed into acting by the security response."
Mourners initially clashed with police after the attack, in which a suicide bomber set off an explosion as worshippers were gathering for a service shortly after midnight on New Year's Eve.
Coptic Christians have long complained that the government does not defend them in frequent feuds with local Muslims across the country, but the bombing was on a much larger scale than anything which has preceded it.
At a Sunday service, some churchgoers called for vengeance for their "martyrs". "In this country we can't even pray in the house of God," said one, Sameh Girgis, 32, an engineer.
Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's president, immediately blamed "foreign hands" for the attack. But despite the growing support for Islamist movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood in the country, it has never been regarded as a stronghold of al-Qaeda.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's deputy at the head of al-Qaeda, is Egyptian, but even he has in the past been reduced to calling for a spontaneous "rebellion" against the western-supported Mr Mubarak, rather than issuing instructions to local followers.
The country also launched an aggressive crackdown in the 1990s against home-grown militant groups after a series of attacks on tourists.
The last suicide bombing in Egypt was an attack on a bazaar in Cairo which killed three tourists.
Singling out Christians, as directed in the statement from al-Qaida in Iraq in December, marks a new phase in the militants' strategy.
The attack was condemned across the Arab world, including by Muslim leaders.
Mr Mubarak also said the killings were directed at "all Egyptians, not just Christians".
But Copts themselves pointed to what they say is a history of discrimination, such as the difficulty in winning permission to open new churches compared to mosques.
"When there was a threat from al Qaeda a month or a month and a half ago, did the government have to wait till the disaster happens before they protect us?" said one man at the church, Nader Shenouda.
Al-Qaeda-inspired militants blamed for Egyptian church attack - Telegraph
Local militants inspired by al-Qaeda have been blamed for a New Year's Day attack on an Egyptian church which killed 21 people.
Egyptian Christians protest outside the al-Abasseya Cathedral in Cairo Photo: AP
By Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent 5:19PM GMT 02 Jan 2011
As newspapers warned of "civil war" between the country's Muslims and its Coptic Christian minority, officials said a number of arrests had been made.
They said they were investigating a group of radical Salafi Sunni Muslims based in Alexandria, which was not under "foreign command" but may have been inspired by the international terrorist group.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the offshoot that has been fighting an often sectarian war in that country, had issued public statements criticising the Coptic Church.
One, two weeks ago, called for local people to attack Coptic targets.
Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility, Egyptian analysts said that al-Qaeda, which has had little impact locally in the past, appeared to be "announcing its presence".
RELATED ARTICLES
Egyptian Christians mourn suicide bomb attack victims 02 Jan 2011
Analysis: Alexandria atrocity will add to Egypt's instability 01 Jan 2011
Al-Qaeda frighteningly predictable 02 Jan 2011
Car bomb in Egypt kills at least 17 outside Christian church02 Jan 2011
Car bomb in Egypt kills at least 21 outside Christian church02 Jan 2011
Alex Rider: Anthony Horowitz's Egypt02 Jan 2011
"This has the features of al-Qaeda," said Diaa Rashwan, an analyst with the Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies. "It resembles what we see outside Egypt.
"This was professional, and they probably have more explosives. I fear that they have another attack planned, or they could be pushed into acting by the security response."
Mourners initially clashed with police after the attack, in which a suicide bomber set off an explosion as worshippers were gathering for a service shortly after midnight on New Year's Eve.
Coptic Christians have long complained that the government does not defend them in frequent feuds with local Muslims across the country, but the bombing was on a much larger scale than anything which has preceded it.
At a Sunday service, some churchgoers called for vengeance for their "martyrs". "In this country we can't even pray in the house of God," said one, Sameh Girgis, 32, an engineer.
Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's president, immediately blamed "foreign hands" for the attack. But despite the growing support for Islamist movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood in the country, it has never been regarded as a stronghold of al-Qaeda.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's deputy at the head of al-Qaeda, is Egyptian, but even he has in the past been reduced to calling for a spontaneous "rebellion" against the western-supported Mr Mubarak, rather than issuing instructions to local followers.
The country also launched an aggressive crackdown in the 1990s against home-grown militant groups after a series of attacks on tourists.
The last suicide bombing in Egypt was an attack on a bazaar in Cairo which killed three tourists.
Singling out Christians, as directed in the statement from al-Qaida in Iraq in December, marks a new phase in the militants' strategy.
The attack was condemned across the Arab world, including by Muslim leaders.
Mr Mubarak also said the killings were directed at "all Egyptians, not just Christians".
But Copts themselves pointed to what they say is a history of discrimination, such as the difficulty in winning permission to open new churches compared to mosques.
"When there was a threat from al Qaeda a month or a month and a half ago, did the government have to wait till the disaster happens before they protect us?" said one man at the church, Nader Shenouda.
Al-Qaeda-inspired militants blamed for Egyptian church attack - Telegraph
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