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Tuesday, 11 April 2017

Identity of the attackers among the most discussed topics last night

The aftermath of Palm Sunday’s church attacks dominated last night’s talk shows as thenames of suspects began to surface and tightened security measures came into effect.

Kol Youm’s Amr Adib named Ashraf Ragab as one of the attackers and spoke to hisbrother, who said his sibling was being wrongly accused by Al Watan newspaper of being behind the attacks. The newspaper’s Samar Abdel Rahman, however, maintained that she has recordings of Ragab’s wife telling her that Ragab had called to say his goodbyes. Ragab’s wife, Abdel Rahman says, who was in Syria two days prior to the attack and did run in Daesh’s circles (watch, runtime 33:39).

(There has been no official confirmation on the identities of the attackers. Al Arabiya is running a piece on the suspects without naming names. Helpful, that.)

Adib also spoke to the newly-appointed head of the Gharbiya security directorate, Tarek Hassouna, who confirmed that authorities are installing metal detectors and setting up permanent security checkpoints around churches in every governorate. Police will also be coordinating with church security officials to keep tabs on who is going in and out of the buildings, Hassouna added (watch, runtime 5:47).

Gharbiya Governor Ahmed Deif Sakr confirmed that videos from nearby camerasrevealed that a suicide bomber had easy access to the church in Tanta because the metal detector at the gate wasn’t working. The governor was speaking with Yahduth fi Misr’s Sherif Amer.

Amer also spoke with Kamal Amer, the head of the House of Representatives’ National Security Committee. The MP said the House thinks the government needs legislation that would allow security forces to install surveillance cameras along Egypt’s main streets. The MP also took some time to explain the significance and importance of the Emergency Law following the attacks.

On Hona Al Asema, MP Alaa Abdel Moneim explained to Lamees El Hadidi that the changes to the criminal proceedings act are meant to expedite court processes in terrorism cases. Abdel Moneim, however, criticized the government for impeding earlier discussions on these amendments, saying that it had an entirely new criminal law to put forward (watch, runtime 13:21).

El Hadidi also confirmed with the Coptic Church that the Vatican’s Pope Francis is stilldue in Cairo on 28 and 29 April (watch, runtime: 2:16).

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