Cairo - Al-Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayyeb strongly condemned a terrorist attack on a security checkpoint in Esna, some 776 km south of Cairo, that left a policeman and a citizen dead and three bystanders injured. In a statement on Friday, Al-Azhar renewed its rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism, stressing its support for the army and police in their fight against evil powers. It also stressed the necessity of encountering those behind these cowardly terrorist operations, saying these acts will strengthen our resolve to uproot the menace of terrorism. Al-Azhar also offered its deep condolences to the families of the dead, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. On Thursday, a non-commissioned police officer and a civilian were killed in a drive-by shooting in Esna, some 55 km south of Luxor. Two gunmen riding a vehicle showered a checkpoint with fire, killing a policeman and a civilian and injuring three people. One of the attackers was arrested. Police found with the perpetrator a machine gun, sniper weapon, an explosive belt and a device which was defused later by an explosives expert.
