CAIRO: Forensic and criminal evidence teams are set to present their final reports regarding the New Year’s Eve attack on Al-Qeddesine (Church of the Two Saints) in Alexandria to the General Prosecutor this Thursday. The forensic reports will be compared with witnesses’ testimonies to determine how the attack was executed.

An unidentified gunman on Tuesday boarded a northbound train in Upper Egypt and opened fire on passengers, killing one Christian man and injuring five others, security and medical officials said.

On the Coptic Orthodox satellite channel CTV on Saturday 1 January, Watani editor-in-chief Youssef Sidhom said: “Coptic anger has been steadily building up for years. But, despite the pain and ugliness of the incident, we have to practice self-restrain; a clash between Copts and Muslims might prove intolerable.”

“Whatever the circumstances, we cannot but rejoice at the coming of Christ to our world.” The words, used by Pope Shenouda III in reply to rumours that Christmas celebrations would have been cancelled, expressed, in a nutshell, what Christmas is all about. “We have to deal with the incident wisely, not to be driven by emotion. Grieving for our sons and daughters does not mean we should act irrationally”.

It took a mere 30 minutes into New Year 2011 for tragedy to strike in Alexandria. Just as worshippers began pouring into the street once Midnight Service was over at the Church of the Saints in the eastern district of Sidi-Bishr in Alexandria, a horrible explosion occurred. A bomb blew off claiming the lives of more than 20 persons and injuring 80. The scene was one of horror, body parts flew around and blood spattered up to some 10 metres high, staining the walls of the church and nearby buildings. Eyewitnesses told Watani that once the explosion took place, other cars parked nearby caught fire. Later declarations by security sources said the explosion was caused by an explosives belt worn by a suicide bomber but, until Watani went to press no official report had been released.

Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Hundreds of supporters of Egyptian Christians protesting a New Year's bombing that killed nearly two dozen of their members marched Tuesday night on a church in a Cairo suburb, where they were met by an equal number of security officers in riot gear.

London (CNN) -- Coptic churches around Europe are expressing fears for their safety following a New Year's Day attack on a church in Egypt that had been listed on an Islamist website. The same site, which is affiliated with the al Qaeda terror network, listed 16 Coptic churches in Europe, including four in France and three each in England and Germany.

Alexandria, Egypt (CNN) -- Emotional congregants returned to their church Sunday in Alexandria, Egypt, mourning the loss of fellow worshippers in a bombing a day earlier. Inside the Church of the Two Saints, grisly reminders of the explosion -- believed to be caused by a suicide bomber -- remained as tearful worshippers lighted candles to honor the dead. Broken glass and debris littered the church's interior and portions of the walls were splattered with blood.

The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement on the bombing of al‑Qiddissine Coptic Church in Alexandria, Egypt, which resulted in the deaths of 21 worshippers.

regarding the New Year's Eve at the Church of Saints Mark and Peter in Alexandria We are deeply saddened and disturbed that once again, days of joy and celebration have been turned into a time of mourning and weeping. Our immediate thoughts and prayers are with all those who were affected by the bombing at the Church of Saints Mark and Peter in Alexandria: those who have lost their lives, their families, those who were injured, members of that parish, Christian communities in general, and Christians throughout the land of Egypt.

(AINA) -- The car explosion that went off in front of Saints Coptic Orthodox Church in Alexandria killed 21 and injured 96 parishioners who were attending a New Year's Eve Mass. According to church officials and eyewitnesses, there are many more victims that are still unidentified and whose body parts were strewn all over the street outside the church. The body parts were covered with newspapers until they were brought inside the church after some Muslims started stepping on them and chanting Jihadi chants (video showing dead bodies and limbs covered with newspapers in the street).

President Hosni Mubarak has urged Egypt's Muslims and Christians to stand united against terrorism after a bombing outside a church in Alexandria. At least 21 people were killed and 70 hurt in the suspected suicide attack, which happened during a New Year's Eve service at the al-Qiddissin Church.

HONOLULU - President Barack Obama on Saturday condemned separate "outrageous terrorist bombing attacks" in Egypt and Nigeria and said the United States was prepared to assist both countries in responding to them

ALEXANDRIA - A solemn funeral was held Saturday evening in the coastal city of Alexandria for 21 Christians killed in a car explosion outside a church in the city half an hour after the stroke of midnight on Friday.

(CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI spoke out Saturday against a recent wave of religious attacks against Christians and rallied worshippers not to "cave into depression and resignation," hours after a bomb explosion outside a church in Egypt killed 21 people. During his New Year's Day homily titled, "Religious Freedom, the road to peace," Benedict asked followers and governments to join efforts in combating religious persecution.

President Hosni Mubarak has urged Egypt's Muslims and Christians to stand united against terrorism after a bombing outside a church in Alexandria. At least 21 people were killed and 70 hurt in the suspected suicide attack, which happened during a New Year's Eve service at the al-Qiddissin Church.

Did what happen yesterday in the church of saints in alexandrie is considered to be the second gift which is represented by the Egyptian government for coptics in the second birth feast after the crisis of naga3 hamady

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt - A powerful bomb exploded in front of a crowded Coptic Christian church a half hour into the New Year early Saturday, hitting worshippers emerging from a holiday Mass in the Egyptian city of Alexandria and killing at least 21 people in an attack that raised suspicions of an al-Qaida role.

(CNN) -- As Christmas Eve became Christmas Day around the world, services and celebrations marked the holiday. At Vatican City on Friday night, Catholic worshippers packed pews inside St. Peter's Basilica to hear Pope Benedict XVI deliver Midnight Mass. He prayed to God for peace.

In May, the High Administrative Court issued a ruling giving two Coptic men permission to remarry, in a rare challenge to Church rules, which only awards such permission to divorces it sanctions.

VANCOUVER—More than 100 Canadian-Arab Christians are listed on an Al Qaeda-affiliated website, apparently targeted because of their alleged role in attempting to convert Muslims. Some of those named say concerned Canadian intelligence officials have contacted them.