Egypt beefs up security for Coptic Christmas Eve

Egyptian authorities beefed up security Thursday as Coptic Christians warily ushered in Christmas Eve after a New Year's Day bombing in front of a church that killed nearly two dozen of their members. The Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas according to the Julian calendar and therefore will observe it Friday. "Police plan a large-scale security operation for tonight to protect Egypt's Coptic Christians and their churches." Col. Alla Mahmoud of the interior ministry said. In addition, hundreds of supporters gathered outside the prestigious Al-Azhar University on Thursday in a show of solidarity for the Coptic community. On Wednesday, Egyptian authorities released a sketch of a man they think may be responsible for the attack. "The man in the picture is unknown and authorities are trying to confirm his identity," said Col. Alla Mahmoud of the interior ministry.

The interior ministry used forensic technology to recreate the face of the suspected suicide bomber responsible for killing 23 people when he detonated a car bomb outside The Church of the Two Saints in the city of Alexandria, the al-Ahram newspaper reported Wednesday. The newspaper, which is majority-owned by the government, said the forensic experts estimate the suspected bomber was in his early 20s. Citing officials, the newspaper also said that the bomber had packed about 20 to 25 kilograms (40-55 lbs) of explosives in a traveling bag, indicating that he may have been planning to enter the church or wait for congregants to come out when the explosives went off prematurely in the car. About 9 percent of Egypt's 80 million residents are Coptic Christians, according to the CIA's World Fact Book.

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Here is a recipe for War!

The Nile River and Egypt have nearly always belonged in the same breath. The classic phrase, "He who has drunk from the Nile must return," is Egyptian — not Ugandan, or Ethiopian, or from any other people touched by the river. Egyptians say that two colonial-era agreements forever guarantee them most of the Nile's flow. But other countries in the Nile River basin want more access to the water.

But there are just as many non-Egyptians in the river basin who say they, too, understand the Nile just fine. They chafe at what they perceive as arrogance on the part of Egypt. Patrick Mmayi is a Nile river expert from Kenya who works at the United Nations Environmental Program in Nairobi.

"Egypt should see (the upriver countries) as equal partners. Eventually, you'll find tensions rising up if the status quo remains. No amount of threats will actually stop the upper catchment areas from using these waters, if they want to." Egyptians actively guard their stake in Nile, monitoring the river as closely as they watch over their peach groves, date palms, vineyards and banana trees. Engineers fan over thousands of miles in the basin and make daily readings of the river's many tributaries.

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Egypt 'Hezbollah cell' on trial

A group accused of plotting attacks in Egypt for the Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah has gone on trial in Cairo. The 22 defendants in court deny spying on ships in the Suez Canal and plotting attacks on holiday resorts popular with Israelis in Sinai.

Hezbollah's leader has admitted one of the men was an agent for the movement but denied any plan to harm Egypt. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said the Hezbollah member was tasked with smuggling weapons to Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

The 26 men - two Lebanese, five Palestinians and 19 Egyptians - are charged with spying for a foreign group and planning attacks against tourists and shipping in the Suez Canal. They are also accused of sending operatives into the occupied Gaza Strip to help Palestinian militant groups there. At least one defendant said he had been tortured. Another four are on the run and being tried in their absence.

Hezbollah have become a very busy political and terror organization in recent years. There have been documented reports of cells active in Asia, Europe, North and South America as well as Africa.

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Egyptian Terror Cell Plots to Kill Israeli Ambassador

Egyptian security forces have uncovered a plot to assassinate Israel's ambassador to the country Shalom Cohen, the Egyptian daily Al-Masri Al-Youm reported on Saturday.

The would-be assassins, members of the Zeitun terror cell, had plotted since 2007 to shoot the ambassador and blow up both his home and the well-defended Israeli embassy in Cairo.

The newspaper report, which was based on Egyptian security officials, noted that Egypt's state prosecution suspects the cell of intending to target Egyptian government institutions, including police and government offices.

The revelation comes after over a year of investigative work by Egyptian security forces following the arrest of three members of the cell for a jewelry store robbery in Cairo in May 2008. The robbery was apparently meant to help pay for the operation.

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