Cop killed in blast near Egyptian church

Egypt’s president inaugurated a massive cathedral on Coptic Christmas Eve on Sunday amid heavy security, a day after a deadly bomb blast near a church in a country where jihadists have repeatedly targeted Christians.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Saturday’s explosion on the eastern edge of Cairo that killed a policeman who was trying to defuse the device and wounded two others.

Coptic Christians, who account for about 10% of Egypt’s population, have been hit by a string of attacks by the Islamic State group in recent years.

The bomb had been hidden in a bag that was placed on the rooftop of Al-Haq mosque near the Virgin Mary church in the Nasr City district of Cairo, religious officials and witnesses said.

The Grand Mufti of Egypt, Shawki Allam, denounced “the terrorist operation that targeted . . . the church in the Ezzbat al-Haggan neighbourhood of Nasr City”.

Massad Saad, the son of the prayer leader at the mosque, said he had been inside the building when other worshippers noticed “a man going up to the roof carrying a bag”, but when they followed him they had found two bags.

“We informed the police,” Saad, a 35-year-old baker, said.

There was no immediate confirmation from officials.

On Sunday morning, security forces were deployed around the neighbourhood.

Al-Azhar, Egypt’s highest institution of Sunni Islam, condemned the attack.

“The targeting of worship places and killing of innocents is a flagrant criminal act that violates teachings of all religions,” it said.

It also voiced its solidarity with state institutions against “terrorism” which it said sought to spoil Coptic celebrations. Security has been reinforced in Cairo in recent weeks ahead of Coptic Christmas, celebrated on January 7.

On Sunday evening, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi inaugurated the Cathedral of Nativity in Egypt’s new administrative capital, 45km east of Cairo.

Armoured vehicles and more than a dozen ambulances were stationed outside the cathedral.

Sisi often presents himself as a defender of Christians against extremists, but activists and some analysts accuse the state of discriminating against them and not providing enough protection.