By AFP WASHINGTON: The United States said Tuesday it is “deeply concerned” about the rise in attacks against Christians in parts of the Middle East and Africa. “We are certainly aware of a recent string of attacks against Christians from Iraq to Egypt to Nigeria,” State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said. “We are deeply concerned …

By Essam Fadl CAIRO: The Coptic Orthodox Patriarchy in Alexandria declared an official state of mourning on Wednesday for the victims of the New Year’s Eve church bombing, with no celebrations or guest welcoming during the Christmas services. The Orthodox Church issued a statement asking Copts to be wise so that the Holy Synod’s efforts to …

By Essam Fadl CAIRO: The Prosecutor General referred on Wednesday eight protesters arrested earlier this week in Shubra to the Rod El-Farag Misdemeanor Court for an urgent trial to start Jan. 6. The defendants were remanded in custody to await their first hearing. The eight Muslim protesters were initially detained after police forces arrested them during …

By Paul Schemm / AP CAIRO: The New Year’s Day suicide bombing of a church that killed 21 people has opened up a vein of fury among Egypt’s Christians, built up over years of what they call government failure to address persistent discrimination and violence against their community. Christian protests spread to Cairo from the northern …

By AFP THE HAGUE: Dutch Muslims on Tuesday offered to guard three Coptic churches in the Netherlands which have been threatened on an Al-Qaeda-linked website after a New Year’s Day bombing killed 23 Coptic Christians in Egypt. The Dutch Muslim Council, the Council of Moroccan Mosques in the Netherlands and the Federation of Islamic Organizations …

By AP ASSIUT: About 500 young Coptic Christians have defied a call by their leaders to avoid demonstrations and descended into the main streets of this southern city protesting the New Year’s Day church bombing that killed 21. The demonstrators gathered Tuesday evening in front of the ruling party’s headquarters in the city of Assuit, …

By Heba Afify CAIRO: Thousands of protesters clashed with police on Monday night as they tried to reach a sit-in that took place in front of the Virgin Church in Shubra to denounce the Alexandria church bombing. Eight protesters were arrested and currently face charges of assault on police officers, damaging cars, crowding, and shouting …

By Samer al-Atrush  /AFP CAIRO: A suspected suicide bomber who killed 23 people outside a church probably intended to set off the explosives inside so as to kill as many people as possible, Egyptian investigators said on Monday. The main lead in the investigation into the New Year’s Day attack in Alexandria, which no one has …

By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: Artists and intellectuals were prevented from holding a peaceful sit-in in Talaat Harb Square on Monday in solidarity with the victims of the church bombing in Alexandria that left 23 dead and over 90 injured. Dozens of riot police were scattered around Talaat Harb Square, and officers informed the protesters that they …

By Heba Afify CAIRO: Facebook groups calling for Egyptians of all faiths to attend Christmas mass on Jan. 6 are receiving massive support by the public as well as by religious figures. Numerous Facebook groups were created in reaction to the Alexandria church bombing that occurred during a New Year’s Eve mass. So far, over 2000 …

By Heba Afify CAIRO: Twelve human rights organizations accused the government of “mismanaging” the sectarian strife in Egypt, describing the regime as “primarily responsible” for the News Year’s Eve attack on the Church of the Two Saints in Alexandria. “The mismanagement of sectarian tensions and violence by the state creates a fertile ground and [an attractive] …

By Tamim Elyan CAIRO: Priests and churchgoers cited tightened security measures around churches across Egypt after an attack on Al-Qeddesine Church (The Church of the Two Saints) in Alexandria claimed the lives of 23 people and injured over 90. “Since the attack in Alexandria no one was allowed [in and out of the church] more than …

By AFP RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti condemned the New Year’s Day bombing of a church in Egypt that killed 21 people as an act aimed at turning non-Muslim against Muslim, state news agency SPA reported on Monday. These attacks “carried out by the enemies of Islam aim to… turn non-Muslims against Muslims,” it quoted …

By AFP PARIS: French police are investigating threats made against Coptic churches in France in the wake of a deadly attack on one in Egypt, a security source said Monday. The probe was launched after a church official filed a complaint, the source said. Germany’s Coptic Christians have also received threats of attack by radical …

By Hamza Hendawi and Maggie Michael / AP ALEXANDRIA: Egyptian police are focusing their investigation into the New Year’s suicide bombing of a church on a group of Islamic hard-liners inspired by Al-Qaeda and based in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria where the attack killed 21 people, security officials said Sunday. The bombing touched off …

By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: Police cracked down on protesters in Talaat Harb and Ramses Squares on Sunday as they organized to denounce the recent New Year’s Eve attack on Church (The Church of the Two Saints) in Alexandria. Around 50 Muslims and Copts were violently shoved by security forces, preventing them from gathering at Talaat Harb …

By AFP DUBAI: An Al-Qaeda website had identified in December the church in Alexandria, Egypt, which was bombed on New Year’s Day as being among Coptic places of worship designated as targets. Al-Qeddesine (The Two Saints) Church, where 21 people were killed and 97 wounded in Saturday’s bombing, was on a list posted by the …

By Heba Afify ALEXANDRIA: Representatives from Egypt’s entire political spectrum, governments across the world and international organizations condemned the attack on an Alexandria church that left 21 dead and 97 injured on New Year’s Eve. While government authorities blamed foreign entities, opposition groups blamed the government for its inability to protect its people. Many international bodies …

  CAIRO/ALEXANDRIA: Clashes broke out as hundreds marched down the Corniche Sunday in protest of the attack on an Alexandria church during New Year’s Mass. Starting close to Abdel-Moneim Riad Square and the state television building, around a thousand people marched towards Imbaba to denounce the attacks. Clashes broke out when police tried to control …

By Mohammed Effat CAIRO: Thousands of Coptic Christians attended the funeral of 12 Copts who were killed in the Jan. 1 attack on Al-Qeddesine Church in Alexandria. The funeral took place at Mari Mina Monastery in Borg Al-Arab and was attended by thousands of Copts who marched behind two ambulances holding the bodies of the dead. …

By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: The deadly attack on the Church of the Two Saints in Alexandria early on New Year’s Day can be described as both a terrorist and sectarian attack, says John Drake, a senior risk analyst for the UK-based international security and intelligence firm AKE. “It could be similar to what happened in Iraq …

By AFP CAIRO: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak accused “foreign hands” of carrying out a deadly New Year’s day attack on a church early Saturday that killed 21 people and wounded 79 others. In a televised speech Mubarak said the bombing targeting worshippers as they emerged from a New Year’s eve at a Coptic church in …

By AFP CAIRO: Egyptian newspapers warned on Sunday that “civil war” could break out unless Christians and Muslims close ranks after a deadly attack on a Coptic church that triggered angry protests. The authorities said that a suicide bomber blew himself up outside Al-Qiddissin church in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria early on New Year’s …

  CAIRO: Hundreds of protestors from various opposition groups — including the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) — gathered in Shubra on Saturday night to denounce the attack on Al-Qeddesine Church (The Church of the Two Saints) that occurred in Alexandria earlier that day. A car exploded in front of Al-Qeddesine Church as worshippers emerged from a …