20110118
africanews

The Egyptian man charged with the shooting and killing of seven people outside a church on Coptic Christmas Eve has been sentenced to death, Egypt's Daily News said Monday. Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed Hassan killed six Coptic Christians and one Muslim in Naga Hammadi on Coptic Christmas Eve of January 6.

The defendant had been charged along with two other men, both of whom are accused of massacre and are awaiting sentencing.

Korashi Abol-Haggag Mohamed and Hendawy Mohamed Sayed Hassan are expected to be sentenced to death as well.

The verdict was received with cheers by the Copts as violence had escalated following the New Year's Eve bombing that left 23 people dead and more than 90 injured outside a church in Alexandria.

The blast took place outside the church as worshipers were leaving the New Year's mass in the early hours of January 1st this year. The Ministry of Interior later informed that the terror attack was perpetrated by a suicide bomber.

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