Gunmen Kill Multiple People at Church Near Cairo

[Winged Isis]

DECEMBER 29 2017 - 11:19PM

Gunmen kill multiple people at church near Cairo

Cairo: Gunmen killed at least nine people including three police in an attack on a Coptic Christian church south of Cairo on Friday, medical and security sources said.

The two attackers opened fire at the entrance to the church of Mar Mina in Helwan district, which was being guarded by police in the run-up to Orthodox Christmas celebrations next week, security sources said.

One attacker was shot dead by security forces, the sources and the state-run news agency MENA reported. State television said the second had been captured.

Islamist militants have claimed several attacks on Egypt's large Christian minority in recent years, including two bomb attacks on Palm Sunday in April and a blast at Cairo's largest Coptic cathedral last December that killed 28 people.

The Health Ministry said that nine people had been killed on Friday in addition to the gunman, and five wounded, including two women in serious condition.

Local media said the dead attacker had been wearing an explosive belt, and that two other bombs had been defused near the church.

Sirens were heard in central Cairo immediately after the incident.

Police have stepped up security measures around churches ahead of the Coptic Christmas celebrations on January 7, deploying officers outside Christian places of worship and setting up metal detectors at some of the bigger churches.

Reuters

[Major Thom]

That was good of the police to kill one and capture another in a short space of time, also good to know so few were killed or injured making the Country a safe place to live or holiday.

[Dusak]

That was good of the police to kill one and capture another in a short space of time, also good to know so few were killed or injured making the Country a safe place to live or holiday.

Sarcastic twat.

[carrie]

Typical reply from U know who, no sympathy for the dead or injured. Disgusting.

[Hafiz]

I think time is up for the Christians - and not just in Egypt but also in the Middle East generally.

The position of al Azhar on these matters defies description - for example they refuse to expel/excommunicate the mad ones including the homicidal ISIS. Therefore one is left wondering what is their view on moral absolutes whilst they give attention to such 'important' issues as alcohol, dirty books, homosexuality, interest rates on loans (usury), conversion to other religions - and other allegedly 'basic moral issues'.

Current Copt attitudes towards Sisi may not be as appears: http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/12/09/how ... t-sisi/The superb Carnegie Endowment thinks the 'unwelcome' goes back to Nasser: http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/11/14 ... -pub-53606. Therefore my point is that Christians have been wished out for a long time and this is reflected in their near exclusion from the Armed Forces leadership, the Cabinet, the upper bureaucracy, Governates and the upper judiciary. The message has been subtle but clear. Terrorism and the failure to deal with it is just a new chapter to a long book.

The reality is that many have already left Egypt. The Government of Egypt and Coptic Church numbers of 10% of the population have no valid basis in any fact and serve public relations agendas - the government of Egypt need to prove that no exodus is happening and the Coptic Church's need to show that they are still big and powerful. The reality as measured by independent western agencies and corporations skilled in demographic numbers is that the real population is about 6% and probably lower. The Pew foundation has an immaculate record on such matters and considerable experience in the Middle East - until it was tossed out of Egypt by current arrangements: http://www.pewresearch.org/2011/02/16/h ... -in-egypt/

This view is consistent with the demographics of the overseas Egyptian communities in the US,UK and Australia which are overwhelmingly Coptic/Christian by as much as 80%. On a broader front this is also consistent with the refugee programs that Australia has in relation to Syria and Iraq which are almost exclusively Christian. Whilst Australia has a refugee program that is, in part controversial, we also take more refugees per capita than any country in the world.

A digression. Our history of taking Christians from the Middle East over 60 years has been near universally successful. Our more recent history of taking Muslim 'refugees' from the Middle East has been overwhelmingly negative - as judged by organized crime stats/drugs/extortion etc and also by prosecutions for terrorist related crimes. Our largest police force has had to establish a formal 'Middle East Organized Crime Division' which deals exclusively (or near) with Muslims - not with Christians. These are unpleasant facts deeply unfashionable to middle class multi-cultural ideologies - but facts nevertheless. Some people bring their bad behavior/values with them and I suspect that our current refugee program in this region recognizes that but keeps it quiet.

Its time to get out. Some people are not welcome and the 2 million man Egyptian security/military/police service seems unable to achieve much. It was ever thus - as thousands of Egyptian Jews and Christians already in this country know well. You will be welcome and do very well in countries that take people like you. For the Christians in Upper Egypt their memories would be of shocking behavior in 2010-13 with burnings and pillage that were ignored by the police and had nothing to do with terrorists but a lot to do with general, or marginal. Muslim opinion and were not denounced by any Muslim leaders in Cairo.