CAIRO – Egyptian Interior Minister Habib al-Adly said on Sunday that a Palestinian group was behind the New Year’s church attack in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria that killed more than 20 people.
“The Palestinian Islamic Army, which has links to Al Qaeda, is behind the attack on the al-Qiddissin church in Alexandria,” Adly said in a speech to mark Police Day, carried live on state television. President Hosni Mubarak took to the stage to congratulate the police “for finding the perpetrators of the terrorist act in Alexandria.”
In a swift response, the Palestinian Army of Islam denied any involvement in the deadly attack. “The Army of Islam has no relation, whether close or distant, to the attack on the Coptic church in Alexandria, Egypt,” a spokesman for the group, who gave his name as Abu Muthanna, told AFP. “The Mossad (Israeli intelligence) was responsible for the attack.”
An Egyptian security official told AFP that five Egyptians were arrested around 10 days ago in Alexandria in connection with the attack. “During questioning, the members of this group said that the planning of the attack had come from abroad,” the source said.
Addressing senior officials and members of the police force, Mubarak said the attack had tried to target Egypt’s unity and firmly rejected foreign calls for the protection of the country’s Christians as interference. “The latest attack in Alexandria, represents a pitiful attempt to bring (terrorism) back to Egypt”, this time in “an bid to stir division between the Copts and the Muslims.”
On January 1, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a church in the Mediterranean city as worshipers emerged from a New Year’s Eve mass.
Accused Islamic Army denies role
GAZA CITY – The Palestinian Army of Islam group denied involvement in a deadly attack on an Egyptian church, rejecting accusations by the Cairo government. “The Army of Islam has no relation, whether close or distant, to the attack on the Coptic church in Alexandria, Egypt,” a spokesman for the group, who gave his name as Abu Muthanna, told AFP.
“The Mossad (Israeli intelligence) was responsible for the attack,” he said. Earlier Sunday, Egypt’s Interior Minister Habib al-Adly announced that the small Palestinian group was behind the New Year’s church attack in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, which killed more than 20 people.
He made the accusation in a speech to mark Police Day, carried live on Egyptian state television.
President Hosni Mubarak took to the stage to congratulate the police “for finding the perpetrators of the terrorist act in Alexandria.”
