48 suspects face military trial over Palm Sunday attacks

CAIRO – 21 May 2017: Attorney General Nabil Sadek has referred a total of 48 suspects to a military trial over charges of involving in Palm Sunday bombings that targeted the two churches in Tanta and Alexandria on April 9.

Suspects confessed their affiliation with the Islamic State (IS) leadership in Raqqa, Syria, which “trained them, taught them the Jihadist thoughts and provided them with manpower to contribute to the operations.”

Mar Girgis’ Church in Tanta and St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria were attacked during Palm Sunday services on April 9, leaving at least 45 dead and around 125 injured.

They also face charges of involving in Botroseya Church attacks, which claimed the lives of 26 people on December 11, 2016.

According to the investigations, the defendants charged with establishing two terrorist cells in Cairo and Qena, Upper Egypt, and committed the terrorist attacks on the churches.