Showing posts with label after. Show all posts
Showing posts with label after. Show all posts

Sunday, 3 November 2013

China Xinjiang military boss booted off ruling council after attack

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's ruling Communist Party announced on Sunday the removal of the military chief of restive Xinjiang from the region's governing council, following a car crash in Beijing's Tiananmen Square blamed on Islamist militants from Xinjiang.

The official Xinjiang Daily said in a brief front page report that Peng Yong had been sacked as a member of Xinjiang's Communist Party Standing Committee, and would be replaced by Liu Lei, an army veteran with more than a decade's experience in the region.

The newspaper gave no reason for the move, but the party frequently removes top officials following such incidents as it seeks to apportion blame.

The incident was especially embarrassing for the stability-obsessed party given the billions of dollars it spends every year on domestic security, not only in Xinjiang but across the country, and that the crash happened in the heart of Beijing.

Peng was appointed commander of the Xinjiang military region in July 2011. It is likely that he will also be relieved of his military duties.

Real power in China lies with party bodies rather than government ones, as that is where the key decisions are made.

The government has blamed Islamist extremists plotting holy war after a vehicle police said was laden with gasoline ploughed into bystanders outside the front entrance of the Forbidden City, on the north of Tiananmen Square.

The three people in the car died, as did two tourists. More than 40 were injured. Police have also detained five suspected accomplices.

Security has been stepped up in Beijing and Xinjiang following the incident.

Beijing party chief Guo Jinlong has urged the police to improve their capacity to collect intelligence and take precautions against further attacks, the city government-run Beijing Daily said on Sunday.

Guo urged police and security forces to "look for vulnerable links" and "learn the lessons" from the incident, the report said.

Xinjiang is home to the Muslim Uighur minority, many of whom chafe at China's restrictions on their religion, culture and language, though the government says they are granted broad freedoms.

Xinjiang has been wracked by unrest in recent years, blamed by the government on the separatist East Turkestan Islamic Movement which Beijing believes was also responsible for last week's incident.

Rights groups, exiles and some experts say, though, that there is little evidence of a cohesive extremist movement operating in Xinjiang.

In 2009, some 200 people died in Xinjiang's regional capital Urumqi during riots which pitted Uighurs against the majority Han Chinese.

(Reporting By Dominique Patton and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Ron Popeski)


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Greeks fear more violence after Golden Dawn members shot dead

By Renee Maltezou

ATHENS (Reuters) - A brazen drive-by shooting that killed two young members of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party has shocked Greeks and prompted soul-searching about whether the crisis-hit country is slipping into a "cycle of violence".

Greece's anti-terrorism force is investigating whether Friday's rush hour shooting outside the party's offices in Athens was retaliation for a fatal stabbing of an anti-fascism rapper by a Golden Dawn supporter in September, police said.

Rapper Pavlos Fissas's death sparked protests across Greece and a government crackdown on Golden Dawn, which is widely considered neo-Nazi and is blamed for attacks against migrants.

"We cannot let this cycle of violence continue," Makis Voridis, a senior lawmaker in Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's New Democracy party, told Mega TV. "This must end here."

"Twelve bullets against democracy," top-selling daily Ta Nea wrote on its front page on Saturday. "The double cold-blooded murder was a coarse provocation against stability."

The two Golden Dawn supporters, aged 22 and 27 years old, were gunned down in a busy street during the evening rush hour. A third man was seriously injured in the chest and stomach and doctors said he remained in a critical condition.

According to witnesses and CCTV camera footage, the attacker, who had an accomplice, got off a motorbike and shot the victims at close range, police said. Twelve bullets were found at the crime scene from a 9 mm gun.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

"The target, the place and the time of the attack are symbolic," said Mary Bossis, professor of international security at the University of Piraeus.

"This act had an audience and those behind it have succeeded in sending the message they wanted."

Golden Dawn, Greece's third most popular political force, urged Greeks to join a memorial service on Saturday evening outside its offices in the northern suburb of Neo Iraklio. Residents began gathering at the site and lay flowers.

INSTABILITY

Politicians who have in the past queued up to pour scorn on Golden Dawn united in condemning the shooting.

"This murder creates a climate of instability and targets democracy," said the leftist Syriza party.

Greece is in the sixth year of a recession that has fuelled anger against its foreign lenders and the political class, blamed by Greeks for bringing the country close to bankruptcy.

Golden Dawn, which rejects the neo-Nazi label but uses a swastika-like emblem and its leader has denied the Holocaust, stormed into parliament last year on an anti-immigrant agenda.

Since Fissas' killing, the party has seen several of its members arrested as part of an investigation into accusations it has been involved in a wave of attacks and crimes. Golden Dawn has denied any wrongdoing and said it had asked for police protection at its offices after receiving threats.

The Greek government has in the past promised to wipe out a party it describes as a "neo-Nazi gang". On Friday, it vowed to bring the killers of the two Golden Dawn supporters to justice.

Small-scale bomb attacks against police, politicians and businessmen are frequent in Greece, which has a history of leftist violence. A prominent fatal shooting like Friday's attack was last seen in 2010, when a Greek journalist was shot dead outside his home.

"Yesterday's killing marked a continuation of political uncertainty and instability in the country," said George Tzogopoulos, analyst at the Athens-based ELIAMEP think-tank.

"These kinds of killings, in the span of only 40 days, are obviously worrying for a country that is the cradle of democracy." (Additional reporting Deborah Kyvrikosaios; Editing by Deepa Babington and Gareth Jones)


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Owner arrested after Delhi factory fire kills six

New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) The Delhi Police have arrested the owner of a purse manufacturing factory where a fire Saturday evening killed six people and injured 11 others.

Varun Gambhir, 27, was arrested for illegally running the two-storeyed factory in Delhi's Ranjeet Nagar area where a blaze broke out around 5.50 p.m. Saturday.

Though fire service personnel doused the flames after two hours, 17 people received burn injuries.

"Six of the injured, including four women, were declared dead in a hospital while 11 others are being treated," said a police officer.

Five of the six injured have been identified as Puja, 18, Soni, 22, Dropadi, 35, Piyush, 25, and Rahul, 25.

All the victims worked in the factory.

"The reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained," said the officer.


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Saturday, 2 November 2013

Rape accused commits suicide after marrying victim

New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) A rape accused committed suicide by jumping before a Metro train, said police, adding that he was depressed due to his marriage.

Manoj Kumar, 28, jumped in front of the train at the Chhatarpur Metro station Thursday night. He came under the wheels and lost both his legs. He later died in hospital.

Police said a suicide note was recovered in which Manoj wrote that he was depressed because of his wife.

According to a police officer, Manoj in April this year married a woman whom he and his friend had allegedly raped.

"Both the accused were arrested and sent to police custody. After getting bail, Manoj tied the knot with the woman but was not happy," his family members told police.

Manoj, who was employed in a transport company, lived in the Mehrauli area of south Delhi.


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Odisha teacher dies after being set on fire

Bhubaneswar, Nov 1 (IANS) A woman teacher in Odisha's Rayagada district died Friday, four days after an unidentified assailant set her ablaze for allegedly refusing to withdraw a sexual assault complaint.

"She succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Visakhapatnam in the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh where she was undergoing treatment. Her condition was critical," district superintendent of police Rajesh Pandit told IANS.

Itishree Pradhan, 28, was set on fire Oct 27 night after she reportedly refused to withdraw a complaint of sexual assault lodged July against local school inspector Netrananda Dandsena.

The incident took place in a residential government school at Tikiri in Rayagada district, about 420 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar.

She was watching a television show along with some children when the assailant entered the school room, poured kerosene on her and set her on fire.

Pradhan sustained more than 90 percent burn injuries.

The district administration suspended Dandsena, a district inspector of schools, and also a police officer investigating the case.

Dandsena was absconding ever since Pradhan filed the police complaint.

A committee against sexual harassment at the work place, which probed the allegation, found Dandsena guilty and recommended action against him.

Police arrested Dandsena Wednesday and are investigating if he set the teacher on fire himself or whether he hired someone to commit the crime.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief and announced an ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased. He also ordered the crime branch of the state police to probe the incident.


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Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Five dead at four locations after shooting spree in Texas town

By Jana J. Pruet

TERRELL, Texas (Reuters) - A man suspected of shooting to death his mother, aunt and three others in four locations was charged with murder on Tuesday after a manhunt and high-speed car chase through the Texas town of Terrell, law enforcement authorities said.

Charles Everett Brownlow, Jr., 36, was captured in a wooded area about 1:30 a.m. local time, according to Terrell Police Department spokesman A.D. Sansom. Terrell, a town of 16,000, is about 30 miles (48 km) east of Dallas.

Brownlow has been charged with one count of capital murder and one count of evading arrest in a vehicle, and more charges are expected, said Sansom.

Police said they had no motive for the shooting spree that left victims in three homes and a convenience store.

"We are still in the process of putting this massive investigation together and still taking care to make sure surviving family members are notified appropriately," Sansom said.

Brownlow had a history of criminal behavior and had been released from prison in the last few months, according to Raylanette Brown, who said she is the maternal grandmother of a 15-year-old daughter of Brownlow. She said her granddaughter and Brownlow's mother, with whom he lived, were afraid of him.

Brown said Brownlow had called family members on Monday, telling them he was going to kill.

Police said the events began to unfold around 5 p.m. Monday when they found the body of Brownlow's aunt after receiving a call about a gunshot victim. Belinda Walker, 55, had been shot in the head, police said.

A short time later, firefighters were alerted to a fire at a home that was quickly determined to be arson. Once the flames were doused, police found the body of 61-year-old Mary Brownlow, who police said was the mother of Charles Brownlow, who shared the residence with his mother. Charles Brownlow and a white Ford Focus were missing from the home, and police called in reinforcements to search for him.

About 10 p.m., police were called about a shooting at a third location involving a man fitting Brownlow's description, but no one was injured.

Less than 30 minutes later, police received a call of another shooting at a residence. Upon arriving at that scene they found the bodies of 33-year-old Jason Wooden and 30-year-old Kelleye Sluder. A three-year-old boy was found alive in his bed. The suspect in that shooting matched Brownlow's description and was driving a white Ford Focus, police said.

An off-duty officer at a nearby convenience store then reported that he saw a man fitting Brownlow's description inside the store and the Ford Focus parked outside.

The suspect fled the scene, leading police on a high-speed chase until he wrecked the car and ran into a wooded area.

Investigators found a fifth victim, Luis Gerardo Leal-Carillo, 22, dead inside the convenience store.

A state police helicopter using an infrared heat-detecting device helped find Brownlow in a creek bed, said Lonny Haschel, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Terrell is in Kaufman County, where Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse and District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia Woodward McLelland, were killed earlier this year. A former local justice of the peace, Eric L. Williams, and his wife, Kim, have been charged in those killings. (Additional reporting by Carey Gillam in Kansas City and; Karen Brooks in Austin; Editing by Greg McCune, David Gregorio and Ken Wills)


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Sunday, 27 October 2013

Chandy injured after suspected CPI-M activists stone car

Kannur (Kerala), Oct 27 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was injured here Sunday evening when his car was stoned by suspected Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activists, a party leader said.

While a probe has been ordered into the incident and two CPI-M activists detained, the CPI-M has refuted allegations of its role in the attack as statewide condemnation poured in.

Meanwhile, Chandy refused to make any comments when newsmen got to him.

The incident occurred as the chief minister was arriving to attend the annual athletics meet of Kerala Police.

State director general of police K.N. Balasubramanian has announced a probe into the incident by a senior police official as two CPI-M activists have been taken into custody.

Meanwhile, state CPI-M secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, on expected lines, said his party was not involved in the attack. Another reaction came from CPI state secretary Panniyan Ravindran, saying the Left Democratic Front (LDF) never does this type of acts.

Across the state, Congress and United Democratic Front (UDF) activists took to the streets with the strongest protests seen in Malappuram district where angry UDF supporters were seen shouting slogans against leader of opposition V.S. Achuthanandan and Vijayan and demanding that they not be allowed to enter the district.

"The attack on Chandy should be seen as an attack on the people of Kerala and the CPI-M should call off their protest against Chandy," said Finance Minister K.M. Mani.

"This is rowdyism by the CPI-M and this is going to be the beginning of their end," remarked Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed.

Speaking to reporters, party general secretary T. Siddiq said he was travelling with the chief minister in his car when the attack occurred.

"...Stones came from both sides and I immediately threw my hands around him to protect him and a stone hit my hand. The glass pieces came flying and hit him on the forehead and injured him," he said.

Chandy, however, was unfazed by what happened even as blood drops appeared on his forehead. In his characteristic manner, he smiled and waved to his supporters and took his position as the chief guest.

State party chief Ramesh Chennithala said they suspect there was a conspiracy behind the attack and demanded a probe.

"We have called for a statewide protest tonight against this ghastly attack. There is every reason to suspect that this was a pre-planned attack and was perhaps done with the knowledge of the LDF leaders ... a probe has to be conducted," he told reporters.

Kannur district has always been the stronghold of the CPI-M and top party leaders, including Vijayan and politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, hail from there.

Minister for Civil Aviation K.C. Venugopal said this is a ghastly incident and the CPI-M will have to pay a heavy price for this act. "Waving of black flags is understandable but stoning a chief minister is an act of attempt to 'murder' him. This has never happened in our state before and this should never be allowed," said Venugopal.

Media baron and former Lok Sabha member M.P. Veerendra Kumar said that with this act, democracy has reached its lowest ebb in the state. "This has been done purposely with the knowledge of the CPI-M and such a thing should never ever happen," said Kumar, who heads the Socialist Janata Democratic, an ally of the ruling Chandy government.

Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan told reporters at Kottayam: "Our party never has a tradition of retaliation and even as Chandy's blood fell, we and our party maintained absolute calm. Our restraint should never be seen as a weakness."

CPI's youth legislator V.S. Sunil Kumar said such a thing should not have happened.


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Saturday, 26 October 2013

Tension in Haryana town after youth's body cremated

Chandigarh, Oct 25 (IANS) Tension prevailed in Haryana's Jind town Friday after police allegedly cremated the body of a missing youth thinking that it was an unclaimed one.

Angry members of a khap (community) protested against police and even held a city magistrate, Satbir Singh, hostage for some time. The magistrate was allowed to go only after district administration officers intervened.

The victim, Amit, 20, who was the son of a leading businessman in Jind, had been missing since Oct 3 when he had gone for his coaching classes. His family had received a ransom call demanding Rs.10 lakh for his release. His father, Karambir, lodged a complaint with police.

Police, which could not find Amit, found a body of a youth near an irrigation canal on Oct 5. However, they did not inform anyone aand cremated it thinking that it was an unclaimed one. Amit's family came to know later and identified him from the clothes found by police.

Amit's father alleged that police did not even inform him about the recovery of the body.

However, the local police said that they informed about the recovery of the body through local newspapers and channels but no one came forward to claim it.

On Friday, members of the Kandela Khap, to which the victim's family belongs, held a protest and later held the magistrate hostage after he went to pacify them. The official was freed after the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police intervened.

The khap has given a deadline till Oct 28 to the police to arrest the accused behind the abduction and murder of Amit. It said that if action was not taken against the accused and the policemen responsible for cremation of the body, the Khap will start an agitation in the district.


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India race goes ahead after hearing delay

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - This weekend's Formula One Indian Grand Prix will go ahead as scheduled after the Supreme Court deferred hearing a case seeking its cancellation over tax issues until next Friday.

The court decided to hear the case after campaigner Amit Kumar accused race promoters Jaypee Sports International (JPSI) of not paying entertainment taxes in full for the 2012 event and demanded the cancellation of Sunday's race.

"The case will come up for hearing on Friday," Kumar's lawyer Sanjiv Sen told Reuters.

Kumar had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in 2011 arguing Formula One was not a sport but entertainment and should not be exempted from entertainment taxes.

JPSI spokesman Askari Zaidi dismissed Kumar's claims, saying the promoters had deposited the money they were asked to pay.

The Indian Grand Prix has been dropped from next year's calendar but the promoters are optimistic of a return in 2015.

(Writing by Amlan Chakraborty; Reporting by Suchitra Mohanty; Editing by John O'Brien)


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Friday, 25 October 2013

One child dies, 10 ill after eating food in Bihar orphanage

Patna, Oct 24 (IANS) One child died and 10 others fell ill Thursday after eating contaminated food at an orphan children's home in Bihar's Vaishali district, police said.

A police official said nearly a dozen children became sick after eating the food at Lok Seva Ashram in village Chakwaja.

"One child died and 10 others were admitted to a government hospital," a police official said.

Hospital official B.N. Jha said the condition of the children is stable.

According to police officials, a preliminary inquiry showed that ashram authorities regularly served poor quality food to the children. "The police have began a probe into the incident," an official said.

July 16, 23 students died and dozens fell ill at a government primary school in Dharmashati Gandaman village of Saran district in Bihar after eating contaminated midday meal. A forensic lab report confirmed that traces of toxic insecticide were found in the cooking oil used for making food at the school, police said.


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Wednesday, 23 October 2013

Class 8th UP girl set on fire after gangrape

Lucknow, Oct 23 (IANS) A minor girl was gangraped by village youth and then burnt alive in a Uttar Pradesh district Tuesday night. The girl sustained 80 percent burns and died in a district hospital Wednesday morning, police said.

The incident took place in Sirsa Kalaar area of Orai in the Jalaun district of the state. The girl, a student of class eight, had gone to a agriculture farm for toilet along with her elder sister. As the two were returning, three villagers, including local goon Ram Bahadur, dragged her to a nearby area and gangraped her, the girl's family told the police.

They further alleged that the girl threatened the assailants that she would tell the villagers, which prompted the trio to set her on fire.

The assailants then escaped even as her elder sister rushed to the village and raised an alarm. But by the time family of the girl and neighbours reached the spot, the girl had already sustained 80 percent burns.

The police station in-charge RP Pandey told IANS that girl's family has not lodged an official complaint.

He however had added that based on the information available, police teams were raiding different locations in pursuit of the assailants.

-- Indo-Asian News Service

md/pr/


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Mexico calls on U.S. to widen spy probe after new allegations

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) - Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade called on the United States on Tuesday to widen an investigation into spying to include allegations that a U.S. government agency hacked former President Felipe Calderon's public email account.

Mexico scolded Washington on Sunday after a German magazine reported that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) hacked Calderon's public email account while he was president.

Weekly Der Spiegel said an NSA division, known as "Tailored Access Operations," reported in May 2010 that it had gained access to then-president Calderon's email account.

The magazine said the NSA succeeded in hacking a central server in the network of the Mexican presidency that was used by other members of Calderon's Cabinet, yielding a trove of information on diplomatic and economic matters.

It said details of the alleged hacking were contained in a document leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

The leaks have prompted angry recriminations against Washington in Latin America, particularly Brazil.

Meade, speaking at a news conference in Geneva ahead of a U.N. review of Mexico's human rights record, was asked whether Mexico might curtail intelligence cooperation on issues including drug trafficking or counterterrorism.

"President (Barack) Obama, in conversations with (Mexican President Enrique) Pena Nieto ... gave his word that there was going to be an investigation around this issue. He said that he had not authorised any spying on Mexico," Meade said.

"We want the investigation to be expanded to include the most recent allegations that not only citizens, but the presidency, could have been spied upon," he added, calling for a swift probe and for anyone responsible to be identified.

Meade said Pena Nieto had instructed him to summon the U.S. ambassador to Mexico to demand updates on the U.S. government's findings.

"Mexico is convinced that the espionage practices mentioned constitute a violation of norms, an abuse of trust built between partner countries and does not do honour to the historic friendship between our nations," he said.

"We will be waiting for the response before deciding whether any additional action is warranted."

Mexican Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said in Mexico City that Pena Nieto had ordered a probe into whether any Mexican officials at the time had compromised government communications.

"The investigation must determine if there is any evidence related to the cited (allegations), or whether there any citizens or public functionaries who intentionally or through neglect ... behaved in such a way that constituted a violation of the privacy of government communications," Chong said.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Simon Gardner and Stacey Joyce)


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Tuesday, 22 October 2013

Woman consumes poison after tiff over 'Karwa Chauth'

New Delhi, Oct 22 (IANS) A woman consumed a poisonous substance Tuesday after a heated argument with her husband over "Karwa Chauth", a day-long fast kept by Hindu women for the long life and well being of their husbands, police said.

Mahesh, 39, consumed the poisonous substance at her house in east Delhi's Kalyanpuri when her husband, Vijay, 42, allegedly beat her up for not observing the "Karwa Chauth" fast.

Neighbours informed the police when they found the woman with froth coming out of her mouth after her daughter raised an alarm.

"The woman was rushed to the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital where her condition is stated to be out of danger," said a police officer.

Vijay has been arrested.


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Monday, 21 October 2013

Egyptian Christians fear chaos after wedding bloodshed

By Yasmine Saleh

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian Coptic Christians joyfully waited outside the Virgin Church in Cairo for the bride to arrive to join the groom for their wedding.

Instead bearded men on a motorcycle pulled up and fired on the crowd, deepening the fears of many Christians that their minority community will pay the bloodiest price for the ouster of elected Islamist President Mohamed Mursi.

"We heard gunfire and ran outside to find people and children lying on the ground swimming in their blood," said Father Sawiris Boshra of the assault on Sunday night.

Bride Donya Amir Eissa and groom Mena Nashaat survived. Four other Christians who had come to share their happy occasion, including an eight-year-old girl, were killed.

Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawi was quick to warn that such "heinous acts" would not be tolerated in Egypt, a U.S. ally in the heart of the Middle East.

His words provided little comfort for Coptic Christians, who make up 10 percent of Egypt's 85 million people and have generally coexisted peacefully with majority Sunni Muslims for centuries, despite bouts of sectarian tension.

After toppling Mursi in July, army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi appeared on state television to announce a political roadmap towards free and fair elections.

In an assertion of sectarian harmony, Sisi was flanked by a senior Muslim cleric and the Coptic Christian pope. Copts may have felt reassured to see Egypt's new strongman beside their spiritual leader, but any such sense of relief did not last.

A bloody security crackdown on Mursi supporters on August 14 was followed by Egypt's worst attacks on churches and Christian property in years, most of them occurring outside Cairo.

Across the country, several Christians were killed and scores of shops, homes, schools and monasteries were destroyed.

CHRISTIANS FEEL EXPOSED

Sunday's attack reinforced the apprehension of many Christians that they will be scapegoats in Egypt's upheaval, held responsible by Islamists for backing Mursi's fall.

The biggest crackdown on the Brotherhood in decades, including the arrest of its leaders, has not eased those fears.

Dozens of weeping men and women dressed in black appeared at the Virgin Church on Monday to pay their condolences, whispering "May God help us" as they hugged and held hands. "May God save their souls", they said of the shooting victims.

"The Brotherhood are the ones who did it. It could not be anyone else because they hate us and they want to destroy the country," said Ghaida Hafeez, 63. "But God willing, they won't."

Dozens of churches have been torched since Mursi's demise, but attacks in the capital have been rare. "Does this mean they will try to exterminate us? Attack more churches?" asked a Christian taxi driver who lives near the Virgin Church.

The state also pins the blame for attacks on Christians on the Brotherhood, which denies any involvement and accuses the army of cynically using them to justify a harsher crackdown.

Virgin Church officials said they had received threats before the shooting and had informed the police to no avail.

"The Interior Ministry is not equipped to station a police car outside each church," said a guard at the church compound.

In the lower-class neighbourhood of Warak, where the church is located, there were no signs of Muslim-Christian tension.

Residents say Muslims would protect Christians whenever pro-Mursi supporters held protests in the dusty area, where piles of garbage lie in narrow dirt lanes beside crudely built brick homes. Some fear that such cross-sectarian solidarity was the real target of the perpetrators of the wedding shooting.

"Those who carried out the attack were not only tackling Christians, but both Christians and Muslims, to spread terrorism and make the new state fail, " said Essam Iskander, supervisor of the church library.

"Some of the injured people were Muslims. And many Muslims who sit in a nearby cafe protect the church." (Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Alistair Lyon)


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