Cairo attack: Catholic Church condemnation. Reactions of Arab world

The Catholic Church spokesman, Fr. Rafic Greiche, offers condolences and prayers for the dead and the wounded. An appeal to the security forces. For the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine it is Israel's influence. The condemnation of Al Azhar. Celebrations for the birth of the prophet Mohammed interrupted. Pope Tawadros II calls short his trip to Greece.

Cairo (AsiaNews) - The Catholic Church of Egypt strongly condemns the terrorist act perpetrated this morning on St. Peter's Church, at the Orthodox Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark.

In a statement, Egyptian Catholic Church spokesman, Fr. Rafic Greiche, says: "We are deeply saddened and have cried for what happened to our Orthodox brothers and we share their grief with all our heart. We pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and we present our most sincere condolences to His Holiness Pope Tawadros II. We ask those responsible for security to find the perpetrators of this crime and to stop them. May God save Egypt from all evil ".

The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine denounced the terrorist act in a statement: "With all my heart we are with the Egyptian people in their fight against blind terrorism. It must be said: Egypt is targeted because this country is one of the pioneers in the attempts to find radical solutions to the problems of the Arab world, which does not please the Israeli colonisers". 

Other messages were published by the organization of Arab parliaments, several Egyptian political parties, Arab and foreign embassies in Cairo.

For its part, the University of Al Azhar, the leading Sunni authority, condemned the terrorist act and canceled the celebrations for the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, which were to be held tonight.

The Egyptian Prime Minister Ismail Cherif has just left the scene of the attack and condemned the criminal act. Meanwhile, experts continue to control the area where the bomb went off holding body searches on every individual.

There has been an appeal for blood donations to help the wounded, several of which are still in the blast site. Hundreds of Christians have also flocked to the scene to look for their friends or relatives or others who may be among the victims.

The area is on high alert, and 10 fire trucks, while continuing the search for other injuries.

Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox, has interrupted his visit to Greece to return to Egypt and be close to his faithful in Cairo. His Holiness went to Athens to inaugurate a new Coptic Orthodox church in one of the neighborhoods of the Greek capital.