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EU condemns Egypt church violence, urges end to religion-based attacks European envoy Catherine Ashton decries the Cairo church attack and urges the government to fulfil its 'obligation' to prevent violence based on religion
European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton strongly condemned on Monday an attack on a Cairo Church which killed four Coptic Christians, the latest of a wave of violence targeting the country's largest minority following the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi early July. "I strongly condemn the attack which led to several deaths and injuries during a Coptic wedding on Sunday. I convey my sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and my best wishes to the injured for a speedy recovery," Ashton said in a statement, adding that the government has a responsibility to put an end to sectarian violence. "I call on the Egyptian authorities to ensure that the perpetrators of this unacceptable act are promptly brought to justice. States have an obligation to do everything in their power to prevent acts of violence against persons based on their religion or belief," she said. Four people were killed on Sunday and 18 others wounded when two gunmen on a motorbike opened fire on a guest crowd at a wedding outside the Keniset Al-Adra (Church of the Virgin Mary) in Cairo's working class Al-Warraq neighbourhood. The United States has also condemned what it described as a "heinous attack," and backed Egyptian calls for those behind the shootings to be brought to justice. "We strongly condemn the heinous attack on the Al-Adra Church in Cairo," State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said on Monday. Islamists have repeatedly claimed that Christians were largely behind the 30 June nationwide mass protests that demanded early presidential elections and led to the ousting of the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Morsi on 3 July. According to Amnesty International, 43 churches and some 200 Christian-owned properties across the country were torched or damaged in the aftermath of the 14 August police crackdown on two pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo, making Egyptian Christians a constant target of violent attacks. Coptic Christians make up almost 10 percent of Egypt's 85 million-strong population. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/84468.aspx
