Egypt Holds 15 in Coptic-Muslim Strife

AP Photo/STR More World Video

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (AP) -- Fighting broke out Saturday between hundreds of Coptic Christians and Muslims at the funeral of a man knifed to death in an attack outside a church.

Egypt's Interior Ministry said 15 people were injured Saturday and security forces used tear gas to quell a disturbance that damaged several shops and left two cars on fire. Fifteen people were arrested.

On Friday, a knife-wielding man attacked worshippers at three Coptic churches in Alexandria, killing the 78-year-old man whose funeral was held Saturday.

The Interior Ministry said the attacker, who also wounded five people, suffered from "psychological disturbances."

At the Saturday funeral procession, police arrested "some fanatic extremist elements who provoked skirmishes and threw stones at each other," the Interior Ministry said in a statement. It said that the detainees included Copts and Muslims.

Coptic Christians make up 10 percent of Egypt's 73 million people and generally live in peace with the Muslim majority, though occasional sectarian clashes occur.

The United States urged the Coptic and Muslim communities of Alexandria to exercise tolerance.

Christians complain that they suffer job discrimination, particularly in the high ranks of the civil service.

Latest News Egypt Holds 15 in Coptic-Muslim Strife Mubarak: No Insult Meant Toward Shiites Police Maintain Tight Security Around QE2 Iraq Won't Go to Cairo After Comments Buy AP Photo Reprints

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

 Purchase this AP story for reprint.