Egyptian Interior Minister Habib al-Adly stated on Sunday that a Palestinian group was behind the New Year's church attack in the city of Alexandria that killed more than 20 people. "The Palestinian Islamic Army, which has links to Al-Qaeda, is behind the attack on the al-Qiddissin church in Alexandria," Adly stated, according to AFP.
However, the Palestinian Army of Islam denied any involvement in the attack. "The Mossad was responsible for the attack," a spokesman for the group said. No one has claimed responsibility for the Alexandria church attack.
Addressing senior officials and members of the police force, President Hosni Mubarak said the attack had tried to target Egypt's unity and firmly rejected foreign calls for the protection of the country's Christians as "interference." "The latest attack in Alexandria, represents a pitiful attempt to bring (terrorism) back to Egypt", this time in "an bid to stir division between the Copts and the Muslims."
