IS claims responsibility for Egypt church attack

Terrorist group Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for Friday's attack outside an Egyptian church that left at least 10 people dead.

A team "belonging to Islamic State carried out an attack against Mar Mina Church in Helwan, south of Cairo," Efe news reported citing the IS-linked Amaq news agency.

Egypt's Interior Ministry said earlier that the shooting at the church was the work of a single assailant riding a motorcycle.

Prior to targeting the church, the same attacker fatally shot two people at a nearby shop, the ministry said.

Members of the security detail assigned to Mar Mina detained the attacker, confiscating an assault weapon, five ammunition cartridges and an explosive device.

"The terrorist was shooting as he sought to cross the security cordon in order to detonate the explosive device close to the church with the aim of causing the maximum number of casualties," the Interior Ministry said.

--IANS

pgh/