CAIRO: A sketch of the man alleged to have been the suicide bomber who killed 23 Coptic Egyptians on New Year's Day was released by Egypt's Ministry of Interior. The sketch by forensic artists was created using remains found at the site of the blast. The Ministry hopes releasing the sketch to the news media will aid in identifying the suspect. On Tuesday authorities said that surgeons had been called in to attempt to reconstruct the features of a head found at the scene, which is thought to belong to a man in his thirties. Authorities also revealed that the man had planned to enter the church but was deterred by police guards at the gates, then set off an explosive belt filled with 10-15 kilograms of TNT and other explosive materials. Minister of Interior Habib al-Adly said the Alexandria church bombing was carried out using an explosive belt or a primitive explosive device inside a bag and rejected the possibility of the bomb having been placed inside a car. The statement came during his meeting with the Cabinet on Wednesday, where al-Adly said investigations indicate that the blast was caused by a device that exploded at a far distance. Al-Adly added that the incident could not be blamed on security failures, as three security officers were among the injured and are still undergoing treatment at hospital. BM
