Egyptian authorities arrest 13 militants on suspicion of planning terror attacks
The announcement came as Egypts Christians marked Easter under tight security a week after Palm Sunday bombings claimed by the ISIS terrorist 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 have also discovered two farms in Alexandria and the neighboring province of Beheira that were used to make explosives and store weapons, the ministry added.
Egypts Coptic Church said on Wednesday that it would cut back on Easter celebrations to a simple mass after the bombings.
Parliament on Tuesday unanimously approved a three-month state of emergency declared by President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in the aftermath of the attacks.
Copts, who make up about one tenth of Egypts population of more than 92 million, have been targeted several times in recent months.
In December, an ISIS-claimed church bombing in Cairo killed 29 people.
Source: /Abna
