Copts Killed in Christmas Church Attack. (BBC)
Six Coptic Christians and a security man were shot in a drive-by shooting incident which occurred on Christmas Eve. The attack is believed to be in revenge for the rape of a 12 year old Muslim girl by a Christian man in November. A car with the gunmen sprayed into the crowd of worshippers leaving the church. The Bishop of the Church said there had been threats before the massacre on Christmas Eve and as a security move he decided to close the congregation earlier than normal.
Coptic Christians who make ten percent of the total eighty million populations in Egypt say they face discrimination and harassment from their Muslim brethren. Mostly attacks on them go unpunished or receive very light punishments.