Botroseya Church bombing

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Botroseya Church bombing
CairoAbbasiyaButrusiya.jpg
Church of SS. Peter and Paul in 2010
Location Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt
Date 11 December 2016 (2016-12-11)
10:00 (UTC+02:00)
Attack type
 Bombing
Weapons suicide vest
Deaths 25
Non-fatal injuries
 49
Perpetrators Mahmoud Shafiq Mohammed Mustafa
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (claimed)[1][2]

On 11 December 2016, a suicide bomber killed at least 25 people and injured 49 others at St. Peter and St. Paul's Church (commonly known as El-Botroseya Church[3]), a chapel next to Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope, in Cairo's Abbasia district. Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, on Monday identified the bomber as 22-year-old Mahmoud Shafiq Mohammed Mustafa, who had worn a suicide vest. el-Sisi reported that three men and a woman have been arrested in connection with the attack; two others are being sought. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.[4][5] This is the first time the church has been bombed.[6]

Bombing[edit]

The explosion occurred at around 10:00 AM in Cairo's Abbassia district.[7] MENA news agency reported, initially, that an assailant had planted a device in a chapel near the church compound's premises. Security officials did not know at that time whether it was a suicide bombing or a remotely activated device, which they believed would have been a large one.[8]

The device reportedly contained 12 kg (26 pounds) of TNT.[6] An unnamed church source told a Nile TV reporter that the bomb was thrown inside the cathedral's hall, adjacent to the entrance of the building.[9]

St Mark's Cathedral is constantly patrolled by security personnel.[6] Security officials did not know whether the bomber was a male or a female,[8] but given that most of the victims were women and children, there was media speculation that the assailant was a woman.[6]

Aftermath[edit]

Roads leading to the site were blocked, after large contingents of security forces arrived.[8] They cordoned off the area and started inspecting the church compound and its security cameras.[6] The health ministry sent fourteen ambulances to the scene to assist the injured.

The casualties were taken to the nearby Demerdash and Dar al-Shifa hospitals.[9] The government placed Cairo International Airport and the city's transport system on alert, a measure which included a state of emergency in Cairo's subway network, tightening security protocols at each station's gates. Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Cairo's security chief, General Khaled Abdel-Aal, visited the scene. The prosecutor general, Nabil Ahmed Sadeq, ordered the Homeland Security department to carry out an investigation.[6][7]

Cabinet spokesman Ashraf Sultan described the incident as a "terrorist" attack,[6] and denied certain media reports about Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar's alleged resignation, stating that Ghaffar had just attended a ministerial meeting to discuss the incident. Sultan also stressed the need for media figures to exercise caution while covering the events.[10] The Interior Ministry said that it was investigating members of the police unit that was assigned to the church complex.[11]

Perpetrators[edit]

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Monday, 12 December, identified the bomber as 22-year-old Mahmoud Shafiq Mohammed Mustafa.[12] el-Sisi reported that three men and a woman have been arrested in connection with the attack; two others are being sought. On 13 December, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility in Amaq News Agency.[13] However, an Interior Ministry official, police Maj. Gen. Tarek Attia, said that the suicide bomber had been arrested in 2014 in Fayoum province, southwest of Cairo, on charges of being a member of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.[12]

Mahmoud Hassan, one of Mustafa's lawyers, said his client, who was 16 at the time of his arrest, was held for two months and tortured until he confessed to the possession of weapons and explosives. He also faced charges of membership in an "illegal organization", Egyptian parlance for the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Hassan insisted that Mustafa was not a member of the Brotherhood at that time, but the young Egyptian student appears to have been radicalized by his experience with the police.[14]

Mustafa once visited Qatar on December 3, 2015 but headed back to Cairo on February 1, 2016. He had never been detained by Qatari authorities as they received no requests from Egypt to detain him.[15]

Reactions[edit]

Egyptian[edit]

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the Egyptian President, said "Vicious terrorism is being waged against the country's Copts and Muslims. Egypt will emerge stronger and more united from this situation." Sisi also declared a national period of mourning for three days.[16]

Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria sought to heal any sectarian friction caused by the attack, saying it "is not just a disaster for the Church but a disaster for the whole nation."[17] Tawadros cut short his trip to Greece and arrived in Cairo that evening.[18]

Bishop Youssef of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States issued a press release saying the church would be fasting and praying "not for the martyrs" but for the healing of the Egyptian people and for Muslims and Christians to live peacefully together.[19]

On Monday, December 12, President Sisi and Coptic Pope Tawadros led the funeral procession, after the Coptic Pope officiated over the funeral.[20]

International[edit]

  •  United Nations – The UN Security Council strongly condemned the terrorist attack. The Council reiterated that “any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed” and underscored the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts to justice.[21]

Countries[edit]

  •  Algeria - Abdul Aziz bin Ali Al-Sharif, official spokesman of the Algerian Foreign Ministry, has strongly condemned the terrorist explosion.[22]
  •  Bangladesh – Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali wrote to his counterpart Sameh Shoukry and expressed his “profound shock and deep sorrow” on behalf of Bangladesh, the foreign ministry said. “We strongly condemn such heinous and mindless acts of violence and pray for the salvation of the departed souls”, Mahmood Ali wrote in a statement.[23]
  •  Jordan - Jordanian Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Al Momany said that Jordan condemned the terrorist attack and support Egyptian effort in fighting terrorism.[24]
  •  Gaza Strip – Hamas released a statement condemning the bombing saying, "The purpose of crimes like these, which harm innocents, is to wreak havoc and cause an exchange of accusations between parties who live in the area in a way that only helps enemies of Arab and Islamic nation", the statament read.[25]
  •  Israel – "Israel condemns the reprehensible terrorist attack at the Coptic cathedral in Cairo”, a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. “Israel shares in the grief of the families of the victims and of the Egyptian people. We must unite forces and fight terrorism together.”[26]
  •  Poland – In a letter to Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Andrzej Duda wrote: "Please accept my expressions of the deepest sorrow and sympathy, on behalf of myself and the Polish nation."[27]
  •  Russia – Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the "brutal attack" and expressed his "shock and grief" in his statement, particularly because of the high number of women and children who were among the victims.[28]
  •  Turkey – "We convey our condolences to the bereaved families of those who lost their lives in this heinous attack and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded", according to a statement released by the foreign ministry.[30]
  •  United States – "We strongly condemn this hateful act of violence, which targeted Egypt's Christian community. We stand with Egypt in opposing all acts of terrorism as we support a stable, secure, prosperous future for all Egyptians", the US Embassy in Cairo said in a press statement.[31]
  •   Vatican - Pope Francis expresses condolences to Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria following Botroseya Church bombing,[32] and he said "I would like to express a special closeness to my dear brother Pope Tawadros II and to his community, and I am praying for the dead and the wounded".[33]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Isis says it was behind Cairo Coptic Christian church suicide bombing that killed 25
  2. ^ ISIS claims deadly Cairo church bombing
  3. ^ Chappell, Bill (11 December 2016). "Bomb Hits Coptic Christian Church In Cairo, Killing At Least 25". NPR. 
  4. ^ ynetnews.
  5. ^ al arabiya.net.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Shams el-Din, Moataz (11 December 2016). "25 قتيلاً و31 مصاباً في تفجير بكاتدرائية أقباط مصر ودعوات للتبرع بالدم" (in Arabic). Huffington Post. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  7. ^ a b Dean, Lewis (11 December 2016). "Scores dead in Egypt explosion near Cairo coptic Christian cathedral". International Business Times. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  8. ^ a b c Khoury, Jack (11 December 2016). "Egypt: At Least 25 Killed by Blast Inside Cairo's Coptic Cathedral". Haaretz. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  9. ^ a b "مصر: 25 قتيلا و35 جريحا بانفجار قرب كاتدرائية العباسية في القاهرة" (in Arabic). CNN Arabic. 11 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  10. ^ Al-Khamis, Eman; Issa, Ahmed (11 December 2016). "متحدث مجلس الوزراء: وزير الداخلية باق في منصبه". Akhbar el-Youm. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  11. ^ Hussein, Sherif (11 December 2016). ""الداخلية": فتح تحقيق عاجل مع أمن "الكنيسة المرقسية" في العباسية". El Watan. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  12. ^ a b Maggie Michael and Hamza Hendawi, "Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Egypt's president, says church attack was a suicide bombing", The Washington Times, 12 December 2016.
  13. ^ "Sisi says suicide bomber behind church attack in Egypt". Reuters.com. 12 December 2016 – via Reuters. 
  14. ^ Maggi Michael and Hamza Hendawi,"Suspect in Egypt chapel bombing had 2014 run-in with police", Associated Press; accessed 12 December 2016.
  15. ^ "Qatar denies involvement in Cairo church attack". 
  16. ^ "Blast near Cairo Coptic cathedral kills at least 22". bbc.com. 11 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  17. ^ "Sisi says suicide bomber behind church attack in Egypt". Reuters.com. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016 – via Reuters. 
  18. ^ "البابا تواضروس يقطع زيارة إلى اليونان ويعود للقاهرة". Sky News Arabia. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  19. ^ "STATEMENT ON THE BOMBING AT SAINT PETER COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH (KNOWN AS "BOTROSIYA"), ABASSIYA, EGYPT, DECEMBER 11, 2016, COINCIDING WITH THE BLESSED MONTH OF KOIAHK 2, 1733 [A.M.]". SUS Copts. Retrieved 14 December 2016. 
  20. ^ Ismail, Amina; Noueihed, Lin (December 12, 2016). "Sisi says suicide bomber behind church attack in Egypt". Reuters. Retrieved 13 December 2016. 
  21. ^ "UN Security Council condemns attack on Egyptian Church". Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  22. ^ "Algeria condemns El Botroseya church terrorist explosion", Sada El Bolad (December 12 2016)
  23. ^ "Bangladesh condemns terrorist attacks in Egypt". 
  24. ^ petra news.
  25. ^ "Hamas condemns bombing of Egypt's main Coptic Christian cathedral". 
  26. ^ "Israel condemns 'reprehensible' Cairo bombing that killed 25". 
  27. ^ "Polish president sends condolences to Egypt, Turkey after attacks". Radio Poland. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  28. ^ "World governments condemn church bombing in Egypt". english.ahram.org. Retrieved 13 December 2016. 
  29. ^ "Tweet from Mariano Rajoy (@marianorajoy)". 11 December 2016. 
  30. ^ "Turkey condemns terror attack in Egypt". 
  31. ^ "U.S. condemns church bombing in Egypt". mexicostar.com. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  32. ^ Pope Francis expresses condolences to Coptic Patriarch following Egypt attack
  33. ^ Pope Francis prays for victims of terrorist attacks
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