CAIRO: Three weeks after the New Year's Day suicide bombing that killed 23 Christians and wounded 100 outside a church in Alexandria, Egypt announced that an Al-Qaida-linked group in Gaza was behind the bombing. Interior Minister Habib al-Adly announced Sunday that “conclusive evidence” showed that the Gaza-based Army of Islam was behind the planning and execution of the attack, which sparked three days of Coptic rioting in Cairo and several other cities. It was the deadliest attack against Copts in Egypt in more than a decade. State-owned News Agency MENA reported that al-Adly suggested during his speech to President Mubarak marking the start of the Police Day celebrations that the group recruited Egyptians in the planning and execution of the attack, but that this could not conceal the role it played in the “callous and terrorist” act. He also informed Mubarak on the evidence and the suspects' confessions. No organization has claimed responsibility, though the incident came two weeks after Al-Qaeda in Iraq said it would target Egyptian Copts if the Egyptian Coptic Church did not release female Muslim converts allegedly held against their will. In a separate address, Mubarak vowed that his government will “triumph over terror” and that he will do his utmost to maintain unity between Egyptians. Christians constitute roughly 10 percent of Egypt's total population of over 80 million, and complain about discrimination in terms of church building and appointments to senior public posts. “I will not tolerate attempts to undermine the unity of the people and drive a wedge between Muslims and Copts. I will not be lenient with sectarian actions from either side and will confront their perpetrators with the law,” added Mubarak. “We do not accept pressure or interference in Egyptian affairs from anyone,” Mubarak said, addressing the same event on Sunday. “Protection of the Egyptians – all Egyptians – is our responsibility and our duty.” Mubarak added that “The time of foreign protection and guardianship is gone forever. I tell them we do not accept pressure or interference in Egyptian affairs from anyone.” The Army of Islam is thought to have participated in the kidnappings of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006 and BBC journalist Alan Johnston, who was later released. The Palestinian group has rejected Cairo's allegation that it was behind the New Year's Day bomb attack. “The Army of Islam has no connection to the church attack in Egypt, though we praise those who did it,” said a spokesman for the Palestinian group. Abu Ayham al-Maqdesi, the spokesman for the Army of Islam, told the German Press Agency DPA in Gaza that he “cannot confirm or deny their involvement in the incident.” BM
