Alexandria, Egypt - Christians clashed with Egyptian police in the northern city of Alexandria on Saturday, angered by the apparent suicide attack on the faithful to abandon New Year's mass in the church, and at least 21 people were killed. It was the worst violence against the Christian minority in the country for the past ten years.
Christians clash with riot police in Egypt after bombing
Interior Ministry accused "foreign elements" and the Governor of Alexandria has accused al-Qaida in Iraq who carried out a series of attacks on Christians there, and threatened Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Christian community, as well.
The Egyptian government has long insisted that no significant al-Qaida presence in the country, and has never been definitively in the fighting there. If Al-Qaeda was involved, it increases the chances of a serious new threat to security in Egypt. President Barack Obama has condemned "this barbaric and heinous act", Saturday, and said those responsible should be tried.
The bombing, about half an hour after the country welcomed the new year, fueling tensions that have arisen between Christians and Egypt's Muslim majority.
Christians always accuse the government of failing to take violence against them seriously. In the aftermath of the bombing of the New Year, to unleash his anger.
"Now it's between Christians and government, not between Christians and Muslims," shouted a Christian woman as several hundred young men clashed with riot police. Some of the protesters beat Muslim passers-by.
Police fired tear gas to break up clashes. But new violence erupted Saturday afternoon in the street between the holy Saints Church and affiliated hospitals. Some of the young demonstrators brandished a kitchen knife. One, his chest bared and a large cross tattoo on his arm, was carried out in hospital with various injuries from rubber bullets.
Later, hundreds gathered at the monastery, Alexandria funerals of the victims, singing: "We have no fear, we need to serve" as they waved their crosses.
Officials said the bombing deaths was 21, with 97 wounded, almost all Christians. Among the injured were three policemen and an officer guarding the church.
The last major terrorist attacks in Egypt in 2004 and 2006, when three bombs hit the resorts on the Sinai Peninsula.
Hours after the explosion Saturday with President Hosni Mubarak went on national television and vowed to track down those behind the attacks. "We will cut off the hands of terrorists and conspiracy against the security of Egypt," he said.
Egypt top Islamic leaders expressed their solidarity with the Christians. Dozens of Christians and Muslims have held marches in solidarity around the bombing site in Cairo.
Christians, mainly Orthodox Copts, believed to be approximately 10% of the population of Egypt is primarily Muslim.
