20110102
africanews

Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak is pushing for peace between Muslims and Christians in the northern African country after a bomb blast on New Year's Eve outside the al-Qiddissin church in the Alexandria city killed at least 21 people. He said the act bore the hallmark of "foreign hands" seeking to destabilise Egypt.

Several hundred Christians later clashed nearby with Muslims and police, according to the BBC.

US President Barack Obama condemned "this barbaric and heinous act" and said those behind it had to be brought to justice. He said: "The perpetrators of this attack were clearly targeting Christian worshippers, and have no respect for human life and dignity."

"We are continuing to gather information regarding this terrible event, and are prepared to offer any necessary assistance to the government of Egypt in responding to it," he added.

About 1,000 worshippers were attending the Mass at the al-Qiddissin (Saints) Church in the Sidi Bechr district of the Mediterranean port city. As the service drew to a close about half an hour after midnight, a bomb went off in the street outside.

"The last thing I heard was a powerful explosion and then my ears went deaf," 17-year-old Marco Boutros told the Associated Press from his hospital bed. "All I could see were body parts scattered all over."

Another witness told the private On-TV channel that he had seen two men park a car outside the church and get out just before the blast.

Officials initially thought the cause was a car bomb, but the interior ministry later ruled it out, saying the attack was instead "carried out by a suicide bomber who died among the crowd".