Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Cairo (Agenzia Fides) - A special plan to ensure security for the upcoming Christmas celebrations for Coptic Christians was developed in detail during a meeting of the heads of the police and security apparatus, convened on Sunday, December 28 by Egyptian Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim. The minister praised the efforts made by the police to ensure tranquility to the Christian communities who already celebrated Christmas on December 25 and took note of the measures that will be put in place to monitor the territory and thwart terrorist actions, aggressions or intimidation against Coptic Christians who celebrate Christmas on January 7. The plan provides for the distribution of patrols in the vicinity of places of worship and in some cases blocking traffic in the areas around the churches. Minister Ibrahim recalled that the collaboration of the citizens with the police is a decisive factor in ensuring success in any security plan.
People still remember the attack in Egypt on New Year's Eve in 2011, when the explosion of a car bomb in front of the church of Saints (Al-Qiddissine) caused dozens of deaths. Subsequent investigation attributed the attack to apparatus linked to the declining regime of Hosni Mubarak. Meanwhile, the League of the children of Wasti awarded merits to four Muslims who in late November had given a decisive contribution to neutralize an attack organized by Islamist cells against Sant'Abanoub church in the city of al-Wasti. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 29/12/2014)
