ASSIUT, Egypt: Egyptian authorities have arrested 22 Muslims suspected of murder, arson and vandalism during sectarian violence which killed a Christian, judicial sources in the southern town of Luxor said on Sunday.

Muslim youths set fire to building materials being used by Christians to turn a house into a church in the southern Egyptian village of El-Udaysaat earlier this month. The man was killed by a missile which hit him on the head.

A security source said the Christians did not have official permission to turn the house into a church.

The group was arrested last week and a court in Luxor on Sunday gave the authorities permission to hold them in custody for a further 15 days.

Sectarian and clan violence is common in southern Egypt. Muslims also rioted in the northern coastal city of Alexandria in October over the staging of a Christian play which they deemed offensive to Islam. Three demonstrators were killed. Reuters