Terrorist Group Believed Responsible for Series of Church Fires in Egypt, Report Says

Fires broke out over the weekend in several more Coptic Orthodox churches in Egypt, leading the state security agency to launch a search for “a terrorist group allegedly responsible for the systematic attacks,” The New Arab reported on Monday, citing an unnamed high-level security source. There have been six fires over eight days in Cairo, Giza province, southern Egypt, and Alexandria, with most of the fires caused by a short circuit in a power generator. The first church fire broke out on July 14, killing 41, including the priest and 15 children. On Sunday fires broke out in two churches annexed to monasteries in the southern Egyptian Asyut and Minya provinces, and in a church in Alexandria. Egyptian authorities so far have denied any criminal intent behind the fires. The source told The New Arab that there is now coordination between Egypt’s security authorities, including the general intelligence agency, to discover and arrest the group responsible for the fires.