'It hits close to home': Australian Coptic Christians reel from Egypt terror attacks

Coptic Christians in Australia have condemned the Palm Sunday terror attacks in Tanta and Alexandria in Egypt.

Security personnel investigate the scene of a bomb explosion in Tanta

Both sides of politics have condemned the attacks on the Coptic Christian community in Egypt. (AAP)

The attacks in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria killed 44 people and left 123 wounded.

They came at the beginning of Holy Week leading up to Easter, and just weeks before Pope Francis is due to visit.

It's unclear whether any Australians have been caught up in the Islamic State group's suicide bombing of two Coptic Christian churches in northern Egypt.

However Bishop Anba Suriel, of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese Church of Melbourne, told SBS News people in his community in Egypt were killed in the attacks.  

The cousin of his colleague’s wife lost her husband, and her other cousin lost her father-in-law in the attack in Tanta, where they are originally from, Bishop Suriel explained.
“They were very emotional last night when I spoke to them on the phone, and very distraught at this vicious attack on the Copts in Egypt, and particularly, obviously losing people that are very close to them,” he said.

“So it really hits close to home, it’s not just something that affected people in Egypt, it affected my community as well and people around the world."

John Nour, head of the Public Affairs Council for the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Sydney, told SBS News the timing of the attacks were “terrible and shocking”. 

“Those terrorists knew Palm Sunday was a big day in the Egyptian calendar, thousands of people attend the church, even if you don’t attend throughout the year, thousands attend on Palm Sunday," he said.

“I think they knew when to hit and when to achieve their evil goal.” 



Mr Nour called on the world to unite in the effort to weaken groups conducting such attacks.

“We ask the Copts of Egypt in Australia and worldwide to stand shoulder to shoulder with the President of Egypt and the Egyptian government to crack down,” he said.

“We will stand strong, nothing will scare us, nothing will shake us.”

In Egypt, the pain of the targeted attacks are still being felt. Kerolos Nessim of Tanta told SBS how he was forced to break the news of his uncle's passing to his mother.

"I was able to get through to one of my cousins, and he gave me the news, and then the hardest thing for me was then to pass on the news to my mum," he said.

"He's been going to that specific church, St Georges Cathedral, since he was little, and that was the church where my mum grew up going to as well, and it was the church that I grew up going to."
Egypt explosions
Kerolos Nessim (who appears centre in the grey suit), pictured with friends outside the Tanta church that was bombed. Source: Supplied

Both sides of politics condemn the attacks

The Turnbull Government has joined the international condemnation of the Palm Sunday attacks.

"We condemn the barbaric attacks on Coptic congregations in Egypt this Palm Sunday. Our prayers are with the victims & their families," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tweeted early on Monday.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Islamic State was a barbaric organisation with no regard for religion and humanity.

The comments came a push within the Coalition for the Australian government to recognise violence against Christians in the Middle East as genocide gained momentum.

“I know there’s a lot of support in the parliament, on both sides of parliament," Assistant Minister to the Treasurer Michael Sukkar told Sky News.

“This unfortunately, what we saw on Palm Sunday in Egypt against the Copts, is not an isolated incident.”

“It is yet another incident targeting Christians for their faith, and it is something that is particularly troubling to Australians who value religious freedom," he said.

The Australian Embassy in Cairo is monitoring the situation closely.

She said diplomats have been in contact with Egyptian authorities to determine if any Australians have been affected.

"These brutal and appalling attacks took the lives of many innocent people during a day of religious worship," Ms Bishop said.

Labor leader Bill Shorten and his foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong described the attacks as barbaric.

"An attack on any place of religion is an attack on freedom of religion everywhere," they said in a statement.

"Labor expresses our support and deepest sympathy to the families of those affected and for the 100,000 Australians of the Coptic faith who are part of our community."

Australians concerned about the safety of family or friends who may have been affected should contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 1300 555 135 (within Australia) or +612 6261 3305 (outside Australia).

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5 min read
Published 10 April 2017 11:40am
Updated 10 April 2017 8:08pm
Source: SBS News, AAP


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