Bomb attack kills 25 near Cairo Coptic cathedral

CAIRO: A bomb blast tore through a church near Cairo's Coptic cathedral during a service on Sunday, killing at least 25 people in the deadliest attack in recent memory on Egypt's Christian minority.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing but Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population, have been previously targeted in militant attacks.

At least 31 people were also wounded in the blast, the health ministry said, as the attack drew condemnation from political and religious leaders and led President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to declare three days of national mourning. The bombing hit at around 10:00am at the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Church, which is adjacent to Saint Mark's Cathedral, the seat of the Coptic pope Tawadros II. A bomb made of 12 kilos of TNT appeared to have been behind the explosion, security officials said.

The blast shattered the church's glass windows and scattered pews through the main prayer hall. Blood stains could be seen on the floors, where shoes and other belongings lay scattered. "I was leaving the church and then I heard a loud explosion and there was a lot of smoke and people started running and screaming," Jackline Abdel Shahid, one of the survivors of the blast, told AFP at the scene.

"The ambulances started coming, and they kept bringing out body parts. The floor was covered in blood, and the whole church was stained with blood, broken glass everywhere, everyone screaming, torn clothes," she said.

Gebrail Ebeid, who has been headed to services when the bombing took place, accused Egypt's government of not doing enough to protect the Christian community.

"This is the government's responsibility. The explosion happened inside the church," said Ebeid.

"How can this happen? What did I do to have this happen as I am going into the church?" he asked. "Where were the security forces? They're filling the streets now, but it's too late."

An angry group of about 25 people had gathered near the area to protest after the bombing, chanting for the resignation of Egypt's interior minister.

It was the worst attack on the Coptic Christian community since a 2011 suicide bombing killed more than 20 worshippers outside a church in the coastal city of Alexandria.

Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar rushed to the area after the blast and Prime Minister Sherif Ismail called on security services to quickly find those responsible.

"The nation's Muslim and Christian citizens stand together against this black terrorism," Ismail said in the statement.

Sisi also condemned the attack, saying in a statement: "Egypt will only emerge stronger and more unified from these events."