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Knife Attacks At Egyptian Churches Kill One

Worshipers at three Christian churches came under attack from knife-wielding assailants during mass Friday. Police said one worshiper was killed and more than a dozen wounded in the simultaneous attacks in the northern city of Alexandria. Although the attacks brought about fears of sectarian violence, the Egyptian government played down the attacks, as it usually does in such instances, as being carried out by "unstable" or "insane" persons.

Hundreds of Christians gathered in angry protest outside the Coptic Christian churches, and witnesses said clashes erupted between Christians and Muslims. The attack came on what is Good Friday to many of the world`s Christians, but a week before the Coptic Good Friday, which itself is allied to the calendar of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Earlier in October, Muslims attacked churches and shops in the coastal Egyptian city of Alexandria over the distribution of a DVD of a play deemed offensive to their religion. At that time, four people were killed in riots that lasted for about a week.