Egyptian security services have obtained important information concerning the New Year's Eve bombing of the church of St. Mark and St. Peter in Alexandria which indicates that the bomber sought to enter the church to inflict more human losses, a security source said.
When the bomber saw police officers in the street charged with securing the church, he felt confused and commited the crime outside while the congregation was leaving after the mass, the source added.
Officials plan to use DNA testing to identify the victims from their body parts, as well as testing fragments from the bomber’s body.
Investigations indicate that body parts gathered at the crime scene might belong to three or four people. Nobody has come forward to identify these people.
The source added that investigatory teams have been formed to find the bomber, under instructions issued by the interior minister Habib al-Adli.
Tighter security measures were implemented at the areas surrounding the church, as well as seaports and airports.
Police officers at aiports and seaports made lists of people who arrived in Egypt recently, with particular attention being paid to those coming from countries where al-Qaeda is known to recruit people to commit terrorist acts.
The source said that Egyptian authorities are investigating whether infiltrators tried to sneak into Egypt with the help of Egyptians. Investigations indicate that foreign organizations were involved in the bombing, after al-Qaeda threatened an attack on Egyptian Copts.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
