Christians Under Attack

as many as a dozen injured. "The violence perpetrated against the Coptic Christian community in Egypt provoked horror and condemnation," Frattini said in a statement. "The international community cannot remain indifferent nor ever let down its guard before such religious intolerance, which represents an extremely grave violation of fundamental rights. Italy intends to continue to defend the principle of religious freedom, an absolute and inalienable civil right," he added. "Episodes of violence and discrimination against religious minorities like what took place yesterday in Egypt are cause for extreme concern. I intend to personally discuss the need to adopt necessary measures to protect the Coptic community in that country when I meet with my Egyptian counterpart, Aboul Gheit, in Cairo at the end of next week," Frattini said. The attack took place while Coptic Christians were celebrating their Orthodox Christmas, which coincides with the Catholic Epiphany holiday, with a midnight mass in Nag Hamadi, some 65km from the Temple of Luxor in Upper Egypt. The town has been the scene of violence between Muslims and Christians which began with the alleged rape of a 12-year-old Muslim girl by a Christian man in November. There are conflicting reports on the dynamics of the Christmas attack which some witnesses said was a drive-by shooting, while others claim it was carried out by one or more men who fled in the chaos that followed. Christians make up some 10% of Egypt's population and the vast majority of them are Orthodox Copts, the Middle East's largest and oldest Christian community. (ANSAmed).