State media say six strikes hit the town of Derna in neighbouring Libya.

Gunmen earlier attacked a bus carrying worshippers in central Egypt, killing at least 28 people and wounding 25 others.

President Sisi said he would “not hesitate to strike terrorist camps anywhere”.

Announcing the strike in a TV speech late on Friday, he promised to “protect our people from the evil”.

Countries which supported terrorism should be punished, he said, as he appealed to US President Donald Trump for help.

Although no group immediately said it was behind the attack, Islamic State (IS) militants have targeted Copts several times in recent months, and vowed to do so again.

“Daesh strategy depends on driving a wedge between Muslims and Christians,” Mr Sisi said, using an alternative name for IS.

The Copts killed on Friday had been travelling to the Monastery of St Samuel the Confessor, 135km (85 miles) south of Cairo, from Minya province when their bus came under fire.

It was in a small convoy that was stopped on a desert road near a police station on the border with Beni Suef provinces.

Up to 10 gunmen wearing military uniforms attacked the convoy, eyewitnesses said. The gunmen then fired at the vehicles with automatic weapons before fleeing, they added.

Minya Province Bishop Makarios said many of the victims were shot at point blank range, the New York Times reported.

He said that children had been on the bus and were among the dead, adding that a pick-up truck in the convoy carrying workmen at the monastery was also targeted.

Minutes after President Sisi’s speech, the White House released a statement of support from Mr Trump.

“This merciless slaughter of Christians in Egypt tears at our hearts and grieves our souls,” he said.

“America stands with President Sisi and all the Egyptian people today, and always, as we fight to defeat this common enemy,” he added.

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Source: BBC

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The bus was heading towards the Monastery of St Samuel the Confessor in Minya province, about 220km (140 miles) south Cairo, when it came under fire.

No group immediately said it was behind the attack.

But Islamic State (IS) militants have targeted Copts several times in recent months, and vowed to do so again.

Two suicide bombings at churches in the northern cities of Alexandria and Tanta on 9 April left 46 people dead.

Witnesses told Reuters news agency that the Copts killed on Friday had been travelling to the ancient Monastery of St Samuel, in western Minya, to pray.

Masked men stopped their bus as it drove along a road leading to the monastery with one other bus and a small lorry, and then opened fire, they said.

The health ministry cited witnesses as saying there had been between eight and 10 attackers, and that they had been wearing military uniforms.

Copts make up about 10% of Egypt’s population of 92 million.

Last month’s attacks prompted President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to declare a three-month nationwide state of emergency and promise to do whatever was necessary to confront jihadists.

But many Copts complain that the Egyptian authorities are not doing enough to protect them, says the BBC’s Orla Guerin in Cairo.

There is now a real sense of fear, and a feeling of being hunted, she adds.

What is the Coptic Christian faith?

The Coptic Orthodox Church is the main Christian Church in Egypt. While most Copts live in Egypt, the Church has about a million members outside the country.

Copts believe that their Church dates back to about 50 AD, when the Apostle Mark is said to have visited Egypt. The head of the Church is called the Pope and is considered to be the successor of St Mark.

This makes it one of the earliest Christian groups outside the Holy Land.

The Church separated from other Christian denominations at the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) in a dispute over the human and divine nature of Jesus Christ.

The early Church suffered persecution under the Roman Empire, and there were intermittent persecutions after Egypt became a Muslim country. Many believe that continues to this day.

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Source: BBC

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Thirty-one of the suspects are in custody while the others are still at large.

More than 70 people died in suicide attacks against churches in Cairo in December and in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria in April.

IS said it carried out the bombings.

In a statement on Sunday, public prosecutor Nabil Sadek said some of the suspects were leaders within IS and had formed cells in Cairo and the southern province of Qena to carry out the church attacks.

He said the militants were also responsible for killing eight police officers at a checkpoint in Egypt’s Western Desert in January.

The attack in December killed 29 people at Saint Peter and Saint Paul Church in central Cairo, close to the headquarters of Coptic Pope Tawadros II.

In April, 45 worshippers celebrating Palm Sunday died in attacks at St George’s Coptic church in Tanta and St Mark’s in Alexandria.

IS has threatened more attacks on Egypt’s Coptic Christians, who make up 10% of the population.

Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi announced a three-month state of emergency after the attacks in April.

The Coptic Orthodox Church is the main Christian Church in Egypt. While most Copts live in Egypt, the Church has about a million members outside the country.

Copts believe that their Church dates back to around 50 AD, when the Apostle Mark is said to have visited Egypt. The head of the Church is called the Pope and is considered to be the successor of St Mark.

This makes it one of the earliest Christian groups outside the Holy Land.

The Church separated from other Christian denominations at the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) in a dispute over the human and divine nature of Jesus Christ.

The early Church suffered persecution under the Roman Empire, and there were intermittent persecutions after Egypt became a Muslim country. Many believe that continues to this day.

–

Source: BBC

The post Egypt refers 48 to court over Coptic church bombings appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The measure allows authorities to make arrests without warrants and search people’s homes. It needs to be approved by parliament before it is implemented.

So-called Islamic State (IS) said it was behind the blasts in Tanta and Alexandria on Palm Sunday.

The group has targeted Copts in Egypt recently and warns of more attacks.

Mr Sisi made a defiant speech at the presidential palace after a meeting of the national defence council to discuss the explosions.

He warned that the war against the jihadists would be “long and painful”, and said that the state of emergency would come into force after all “legal and constitution steps” were taken. The majority in parliament backs Mr Sisi.

The president had earlier ordered the deployment of the military across the country to protect “vital and important infrastructure”.

The attacks coincided with one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar, marking the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

IS said that two suicide bombers carried out the blasts. One targeted St George’s Coptic church in the northern city of Tanta, where 27 people were killed, the health ministry said.

Hours later, police stopped the bomber from entering the St Mark’s Coptic church in Alexandria, also in the north. He detonated his explosives outside, leaving 17 dead, including several police officers.

“Crusaders and their apostate allies should know the bill between us and them is very big and they will pay it with rivers of blood from their children, god willing. Wait for us, for we will wait for you,” the jihadist group said in a statement quoted by Reuters news agency.

Copts in Egypt: Recent developments

• December 2016: 25 people died when a bomb exploded at the Coptic cathedral in Cairo during a service. IS said it was behind the attack
• February 2016: A court sentenced three Christian teenagers to five years in prison for insulting Islam. They had appeared in a video, apparently mocking Muslim prayers, but claimed they had been mocking IS following a number of beheadings
• April 2013: Two people were killed outside St Mark’s cathedral in Cairo when people mourning the death of four Coptic Christians killed in religious violence clashed with local residents

The blasts came weeks before an expected visit by Pope Francis intended to show support for the country’s Christians, who make up about 10% of Egypt’s population and have long complained of being vulnerable and marginalised.

This sense of precariousness has only increased in recent years, with the rise of violent jihadism in parts of Egypt, the BBC’s Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher says.

The community’s trust in the state’s ability and willingness to protect them will now be even more deeply shaken after the attacks, our correspondent adds.

The move by Mr Sisi is likely to raise concerns among human rights activists, observers say. The president, a former army chief, has been criticised by local and international groups for severe restrictions on civil and political rights in Egypt.

Human Rights Watch says tens of thousands of people have been arrested in a crackdown on dissent, and that security forces have committed flagrant abuses, including torture, enforced disappearances and likely extrajudicial executions.

What is the Coptic Christian faith?

The Coptic Orthodox Church is the main Christian Church in Egypt. While most Copts live in Egypt, the Church has about a million members outside the country.

Copts believe that their Church dates back to around 50 AD, when the Apostle Mark is said to have visited Egypt. Mark is regarded as the first Pope of Alexandria – the head of their church.

This makes it one of the earliest Christian groups outside the Holy Land.

The Church separated from other Christian denominations at the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) in a dispute over the human and divine nature of Jesus Christ.

The early Church suffered persecution under the Roman Empire, and there were intermittent persecutions after Egypt became a Muslim country. Many believe that continues to this day.

–

Source: BBC

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