Egypt: ISIS Claims Responsibility For Palm Sunday Church Attacks
Two Coptic churches targeted, three police officers reportedly killed trying to stop one terrorist
ISIS has claimed responsibility for two attacks on two Coptic churches in Egypt. The attacks took place this morning and left 37 people dead and over a hundred wounded.
The ISIS terror group has claimed responsibility for two separate Palm Sunday bombing attacks at Coptic Christian churches in Egypt that have killed 37 people and injured more than 100.
The first blast happened at St. George church in the Nile Delta town of Tanta, where at least 26 people were killed and 71 others wounded, officials said.
Television footage showed the inside of the church, where a large number of people gathered around what appeared to be lifeless, bloody bodies covered with papers.
A second explosion was later reported at St. Mark’s Cathedral in the coastal city of Alexandria, leaving at least 11 dead, and 35 injured. The attack came just after Pope Tawadros II — leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria — finished services, but aides told local media that he was unharmed.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks via its Aamaq media agency, after the group recently released a video vowing to step up attacks against Christians, who the group describes as “infidels” empowering the West against Muslims.
There are conflicting reports about how many were killed during this heinous and barbaric terror attack.
43 dead in twin bombings at Egyptian churches while worshippers observed Palm Sunday. ISIS claims attacks: https://t.co/PYlYxFqoEE
— Tamer El-Ghobashy (@TamerELG) April 9, 2017
ISIS claims responsibility for bombings that killed 36 people at two Coptic churches in Egypt on Palm Sunday. https://t.co/chNE5YhjLr pic.twitter.com/vFGt7I2KBL
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) April 9, 2017
Three police officers, including a female senior officer, killed trying to prevent suicide bombing at Egypt church https://t.co/aCIeU9dcfb
— Tamer El-Ghobashy (@TamerELG) April 9, 2017
Condemnation of the terror attacks against innocents has been swift and pointed.
After that attack, Egypt’s Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said the state will resume efforts to eradicate terror, Egypt’s state news agency MENA reported.
“Terrorism hits Egypt again, this time on Palm Sunday,” Ahmed Abu Zeid, spokesperson for Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tweeted. “Another obnoxious but failed attempt against all Egyptians.”
. . . . Grand Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, head of Egypt’s Al-Azhar — the leading center of learning in Sunni Islam — likewise condemned the attacks, calling them a “despicable terrorist bombing that targeted the lives of innocents.”
Both Israel and the Islamic Hamas movement ruling neighboring Gaza also condemned the bombings.
Pope Francis expressed “deep condolences to my brother, Pope Tawadros II, the Coptic church and all of the dear Egyptian nation.” Word of the attacks came as Francis himself was marking Palm Sunday in St. Peter’s Square.
French president Francois Hollande also issued a statement expressing his and his country’s solidarity with Egypt.
CBS continues:
French President Francois Hollande expressed solidarity with Egypt. In a written statement, Hollande said “one more time, Egypt is hit by terrorists who want to destroy its unity and its diversity.”
He said France “mobilizes all its forces in association with the Egyptian authorities in the fight against terrorism,” and offers condolences to the families of the victims.
President Trump tweeted strong condemnation of the attacks.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/851092500056072198
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/851092618754891781
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From a tweet I saw, one of the police officers hugged the suicide bomber to shield civilians.
No words.
The Middle East is quite messed up, but the courage of those who want to make it better is awe inspiring.
The Big Pharoah reports that the story about the police officer hugging the bomber to shield the civilians is not true. But the bomber did blow himself up under the metal detector, near three police officers, two of them women: https://twitter.com/TheBigPharaoh/status/851093677594349568
So far, 40+ innocents dead, resting the Lord, and two suicide bombers now in eternal fire.
The first bomber blew himself up near the altar, and the second wanted to do that, likely targeting the Coptic Pope, who was in the church.
Islamic Supremacists, which of course includes ISIS, have declared war on everything not Islamic, and on Muslims who do not share their views on the “sacred word of Mohamed”. They have vowed to destroy the West and make Islam the only legal system/civil system/religion in the world, and they are not only willing but eager to kill anyone who disagrees! In areas where they dominate a person has three choices: revert to Islam, live as a dhimmi and pay the jizyah, or die!
[sarcasm]
The Religion of Peace.
[/sarcasm]
They can call us all the names they like, Walker. But all you have to be able to do is read. Ironic, isn’t it? One of the meanings of the Arabic word Quran is recitation. Another is read.
The louder they howl, the more it convinces me I’m close to the truth.
“…But the bomber did blow himself up under the metal detector, near three police officers, two of them women…”
Islam is a vile, despicable creed.
But I have no hate for Muslims. There’s a difference. I tried hate. It’s an expensive emotion and I can not afford it. And neither can you. So I have nothing but love for Muslims. And God bless these Muslims who gave their lives for their sisters and brothers.
Qaradawi acknowledges that without the death penalty for apostasy Islam would be a dead religion. Some Muslims will try to make the case for Islam by saying it’s the world’s fastest growing religion. True, but why is that? There will be hundreds of thousands of Muslims born today who have no use for it. But they don’t want to be killed.