Authorities tightened security measures to protect Egyptian churches hours before New Year's celebrations on Friday following threats by al-Qaeda to target Christians. A security source who refused to reveal his name told Al-Masry Al-Youm that security forces had been increased around Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant churches. The source also said security cameras and explosive detectors have also been installed inside and outside churches. A church source said that only invited guests will be allowed to enter Cairo's Coptic Cathedral and will need to show their identification cards and submit to a search. Services will begin at 7pm at the cathedral and will include a number of sermons and the distribution of gifts. Services will end with the start of mass at dawn on the following day. Two Iraqi Christians have been killed and at least 16 others injured on Thursday in a series of bomb attacks targeting houses of members of the Christian minority in Baghdad. The bombings took place after a number of radicals associated with al-Qaeda threatened to heighten attacks against Christians during the Christmas season. The threat came two months after 52 people were killed in an armed invasion of a church in Baghdad. In its most recent threat, the Organization of the State of Iraq, the local branch of al-Qaeda, warned Iraqi Christians of more attacks if they do not pressure the Egyptian Christian Church to release a group of women who were allegedly detained by the church after converting to Islam.
