Egyptian police forces stand guard outside a court [Middle East Monitor photo]
0 (International Christian Concern) – Thirty men convicted of planning a suicide bombing against an Egyptian church in Alexandria have been sentenced between 10 years to life imprisonment. Only twenty of the men were in court, as the others are still in hiding and were tried in absentia.
The attack against the church did not happen, but Egyptian Christians have endured a number of violent attacks. In 2017, ISIS targeted churches in Alexandria and Tanta during Palm Sunday.
Although ISIS never held large swaths of territory in Egypt, the militants have waged a campaign of violence that specifically targets religious minorities. The government has used this as an opportunity to further solidify its own power, a tactic which has generated much criticism.
It is common for violence targeting Christians to increase around religious holidays. Retribution attacks by ISIS are also a common concern. This year, Orthodox Easter and Ramadan are just days apart. Christians in Egypt are in need of prayer for their safety as this time of the year approaches.
