Two Egyptians were reported killed when a car bomb in Alexandria's Sidi Bishr exploded just after midnight Saturday morning, few days after al-Qaeda threatened to target Egyptian Christians, security sources said. They added that the car bomb exploded outside the al-Kedeseen Mar Morcos and Pope Botros Church in Sidi Bishr while Egypt's Copts were celebrating the New Year. At least seven people are injuried, some seriously, a security source said. Two Iraqi Christians were killed and at least 16 others injured on Thursday in a series of bomb attacks targeting houses belonging to 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.
