Egyptian authorities arrested 13 suspected “terrorists” allegedly planning to attack Christians and public institutions, the interior ministry said on Sunday, a week after two deadly church bombings.
The announcement came as Egypt’s Christians marked Easter under tight security a week after Palm Sunday bombings claimed by the Islamic State group killed 45 people at churches in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria.
The “13 terrorist elements” belonged to cells preparing attacks against “government and Christian institutions” and police in four northern provinces, including Alexandria, a ministry statement said.
It was not immediately clear when the arrests took place.
Security forces also discovered two farms in Alexandria and the neighbouring province of Beheira that were used to make explosives and store weapons, the ministry added.