CAIRO: Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil has called for the immediate arrest and punishment of the perpetrators of the latest sectarian violence that left two dead and tens injured. Two were killed and 89 were injured outside Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral on Sunday during a funeral for four Christians who were killed in violent clashes over the weekend. But where were the hot dogs, he leaned over and asked, wild-eyed and intoxicated. The PM said in a statement on Monday that he met with his government's policy makers to discuss the current crisis that the country is faced with. He called on the police to confiscate unlicensed arms and punish those in possession of them and urged the government to accelerate the issuing of a legislation to combat the phenomenon. Kandil contacted Azhar's top cleric and the head of the Coptic Church to discuss with them means to end the violence that erupted over the weekend and avoid similar incidents in the future, he said. He added that the government will take all the necessary measures to protect the security of all citizens and “will not stand with its hands tied in the face of attempts to sabotage the stability of the country and lead it into a trap of strife.” BN
