CAIRO // Hundreds of Egyptians gathered on Monday to mourn the 45 Christians killed in bombing attacks on two churches just a week before Easter, as a three-month state of emergency went into effect.
ISIL said it was behind the blasts that targeted Palm Sunday services at Coptic churches in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria, and threatened further attacks against Egypt’s Christian minority.
Sunday’s first bombing at the Mar Girgis church in Tanta, a city north of Cairo, killed 28 people. In the second attack, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive belt outside St Mark’s Cathedral in Alexandria after he was prevented from entering the building. That attack killed 17 people, including seven police officers.
The bombings – which were the biggest coordinated attacks against Christians in decades – sent an unusually strong wave of despair through the Egyptian public.
"I have been doing business with Christians for 30 years. We get along well," a Muslim resident of Tanta named Gamal told The National.
“There for sure is an outside hand that is trying to split the Egypt people,” added the 58-year-old, who runs a machinery repair shop.
Cairo resident Mohamed Amer said Egyptians were united in their mourning.
“Absolutely everyone is upset about the bombings,” he said.
In the Saint Mina monastery, west of Alexandria, mourners bade farewell to the victims whose wooden coffins were placed near the altar amid applause.
During the funerals, angry crowds denounced the Egyptian security services and the country’s interior minister, Magdy Abdel Ghaffar.
“Leave, leave, Abdel Ghaffar!” mourners chanted. “I am a Christian till judgment day.”
At St Mark’s Cathedral, where the head of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church had been leading a service when the bomber struck on Sunday, investigators combed for clues and took pictures of the debris produced by the blast.
A handful of black-clad women showed their identification papers to guards before being allowed to enter the church.
“I’m so sad, I cannot speak,” said one mourner, a woman in her 40s.
In Cairo, meanwhile, the Egyptian cabinet said it had approved president Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s decision to declare a three-month state of emergency.
The measure took effect at 1pm, with Egyptian security forces blocking off streets and placing cordons around Egyptian churches.
Constitutionally, the measure still has to be approved by parliament within seven days, but this is a formality given the number of pro-Sisi delegates.
The cabinet also announced compensation of 100,000 Egyptian pounds (Dh20,406) for each death, and a monthly pension of 1,500 pounds, while still evaluating “appropriate compensation” for the injured.
Scores of people were wounded in the attacks, with 30 still in hospital in Tanta on Monday, and 35 in hospital in Alexandria.
In Abu Dhabi, a delegation from the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, led by Chairman Dr Mohammed Mattar Al Kaabi, visited the capital’s Coptic Church to reiterate the UAE’s firm stance against terrorism and extend condolences over the Sunday attacks, state news agency Wam reported.
“We strongly condemn this evil assault on churches, worshippers and the Egyptian society which struck at a time when the grand Imam of Al Azhar was leading the world’s most important inter-religious to establish peace and civilised coexistence among all religions and religious scholars,” Dr Al Kaabi said.
Meanwhile, the Vatican said on Monday that Pope Francis still planned to visit Egypt later this month in what will be his first visit to the country.
“There is no doubt the Holy Father will maintain his offer to go to Egypt” on April 28 and 29, said official Monsignor Angelo Becciu.
“What happened caused disorder and tremendous suffering, but it cannot stop the pope’s mission of peace.”
Also on Monday, Washington said US president Donald Trump had called Mr El Sisi to express his condolences.
“The president also expressed his confidence in president Al Sisi’s commitment to protect Christians and all Egyptians,” the White House said.
MPs said the state of emergency – Egypt’s first since widespread unrest in 2013 – would help the country face down an extremist insurgency.
It came after Mr El Sisi warned in a defiant speech on Sunday that the war against extremists would be “long and painful” after he ordered the army to protect “vital infrastructure” and boost security along Egypt’s borders.
But in the farmlands west of Cairo, at least one resident wasn’t convinced.
“How did they let them get into the church?” asked Nasir Ahmed, a 43-year-old Muslim taxi driver.
“If they can’t get security right, what can they do?
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting from Agence France-Presse
Packages which the US Secret Service said contained possible explosive devices were sent to:
- Former first lady Hillary Clinton
- Former US president Barack Obama
- Philanthropist and businessman George Soros
- Former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's New York bureau
- Former Attorney General Eric Holder (delivered to former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
- California Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices)
Company%20Profile
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MATCH INFO
Austria 2
Hinteregger (53'), Schopf (69')
Germany 1
Ozil (11')
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight Championship AJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v tba
Company%20Profile
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Race card
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; 5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; 6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (PA) 1,400m
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
Price, base / as tested: Dh76,900 / Dh110,900
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: Torque: 352Nm @ 2,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.5L / 100km
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Company profile
Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
FIXTURES
December 28
Stan Wawrinka v Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Milos Raonic v Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 29 - semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Stan Wawrinka / Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Milos Raonic / Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 30
3rd/4th place play-off, 5pm
Final, 7pm
RESULT
Bayern Munich 0 AC Milan 4
Milan: Kessie (14'), Cutrone (25', 43'), Calhanoglu (85')
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now