Alexandria: 8 persons wounded in clashes between Christians and Muslims
Egypt, Local, 12/8/2000

A source in the Egyptian police reported on Wednesday that 8 persons were wounded in confrontations between Christians and Muslims on Monday evening in Alexandria because of the opposition shown by several Muslims to expand the building of a church.

The source added that a row took place in Khourshid quarters, east of the city, as several Muslims after praying in a mosque headed to a church nearby with the aim of preventing expansion works in it. The source explained that three Copts and five Muslims wounded because they used knives in their fight.

The source stressed that the ministry of the Interior took a decision to halt the expansion works but members of the Coptic community were not informed about that.

However, a law dates back to the Ottoman rule area and is still valid stated the need that building new churches or expanding parts of it need the consent of the ministry of the Interior. But agreements are amicable made between the Coptic Church and the ministry to build a certain number of churches.

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