The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Egypt, considered as the largest Christian Church in Egypt was under attacked by unknown perpetrators. The deadliest attacked happened right after the New Year’s M(–foul word(s) removed–), 30 minutes after the m(–foul word(s) removed–) while others are busy welcoming the New Year. The bomb exploded outside the Saint Mark and Saint Peter Church, in a car parked filled with homemade explosives.
The explosion had taken the lives of 21 people and wounded 83 innocents civilians according to the latest reports and being confirmed by Egyptian authorities. The Coptic Christians were the primary target of the attack by unknown groups that add tensions to the already volatile relationships of Muslims and Christians in this part of Africa.
Coptic Christians comprised only 10% of the 83 million Muslim-dominated Egyptians were in constant threat ever since the foundation of the Church which was believed to be founded by Saint Mark, an Apostle of Jesus Christ. The pronouncement made by the Al-Qaeda in Iraq to used force if the priests who are responsible for the kidnapping of the two girls who are allegedly trying to convert to Islam will not be released.
After the incidents the Christians retaliated by throwing stones and bottles to the nearby mosque which caused the closure of the streets and prayers inside the mosque was postponed. There have been clashes with the riot police which was forced to used rubber bullets to stop the protesters.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak denounced the attacked and urged fellow Egyptians to unite, for this attacked is not only aimed against the Christian Community but against the entire Egyptian nation. It is the deadliest attacked in Egypt after the suicide bombing in an Egyptian Resort on April 2006.