3 Churches Attacked in Egypt; 12 Dead, over 200 Injured

From Catholic World News

Firefighters extinguish a blaze at a church following clashes between Muslims and Christians in Cairo, Egypt on May 8, 2011.

Armed with guns and Molotov cocktails, thousands of Muslims attacked Coptic churches and neighborhoods in a Cairo, provoking sectarian violence that led to at least 12 deaths and 232 injuries. Several news reports identified the attackers as members of the Islamic Salafi movement.

The attacks followed reports that a Christian woman who had converted to Islam had been kidnapped and was being tortured at St. Mina Church in the Cairo suburb of Imbaba. Later, two other churches in the suburb were attacked. 

“We have no law or security, we are in a jungle,” said Coptic Orthodox Bishop Anba Theodosius of Giza. “We are in a state of chaos.” 

Source(s): these links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

• Sectarian strife rips Cairo (AP)
• Muslims Attack Christians in Egypt, 12 Killed, 232 Injured (AINA)
• Egyptian Copts, reeling from violence, want protection (CNN)
• Salafi (Wikipedia)