The Archbishop of Canterbury expresses sorrow at bomb attack at a Coptic church in Alexandria, Egypt
Dr Rowan Williams, has today Jan 1,2011, made the following statement:
“The new year’s eve attack on Christians in Alexandria is yet another dreadful reminder of the pressure of Christian minorities are under in the Middle East, echoing the atrocities we have seen in recent weeks. The Coptic community and other Christian groups in Egypt can be sure of our deep sorrow at this terrible event and our continuing prayers and support for them. We know the long and honourable history of co-existence of Christians and Muslims in Egypt and are confident that the overwhelming majority of Egyptian people will join in condemning this and similar acts.”
The blast happened after midnight in front of Alexandria church, killing at least 17 and wounding at least 43. Witnesses report Christians, Muslims rioting on the streets following attack.
Egypt’s president said in a televised address on Saturday that he would “cut off the hand of terrorism” after a church bombing killed at least 17 people shortly after midnight Saturday. ”Wicked terrorists targeted the nation, Copts and Muslims,” President Hosni Mubarak said in the broadcast on state television, adding that the terrorists would fail in any plans to destabilize Egypt or divide Muslims and Christians.
A car bomb exploded outside a church in the early hours of Saturday, targeting worshippers who gathered to mark the New Year in Egypt’s northern city of Alexandria. At least 17 people were killed in the attack and 43 wounded. Reports have relayed Egypt’s suspicion that “foreign hands” were behind the attack.
The attack led to an outbreak in violence with Christians taking to the street in protest. Witnesses said Christians and Muslims pelted each other with rocks and cars were torched.
Christians make up about 10 percent of the 79 million people in Muslim-majority Egypt. Officials are usually swift to play down incidents that could hurt relations between the two communities which sometimes flare into communal violence.