Egyptian police believe that a group of local Islamic extremists are behind the New Year's suicide bombing of a church in Alexandria, and not foreign groups as earlier claimed by the Egyptian government, says the Washington Times.
The attack on the Saints Church killed 21 people.
The bombing sparked riots and protests by Egypt's Christian minority, who believe they are targeted and discriminated against and do not receive sufficient protection from authorities.
Dozens of believers returned to pray on Sunday in the blood-spattered Saints Church - many of them crying and even screaming in grief. Security was provided for them, as there was for churches throughout Egypt on Sunday.
Inside the Saints Church, the floor was still stained with blood, two statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary were toppled and benches were scattered by the impact of the blast.
Father Maqar, who led the service, did not give a sermon, preferring to express his grief with silence.
"I tell Christians to pray and pray to ease their agony," he told the Associated Press after the service.
"Is it possible that what happened is even remotely human? We were carrying dead bodies, but in pieces. Who can fathom such a thing? Who can tolerate it?" he added.
In Alexandria, around 500 Christians staged a vigorous protest near the bombed church. They were outnumbered by riot police at least two to one and prevented from going elsewhere.
Sally Moore, a Christian protester, said Muslim and Coptic protesters were planning to unite to form a "human shield" outside major churches in Cairo on Coptic Christmas Eve on Jan. 6 in a show of solidarity.
"The security is protecting the regime, not the people, not the churches," she said.
In another display of inter-faith unity, Egypt's top Muslim cleric, Grand Sheik of al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb, visited Pope Shenouda III, spiritual leader of Egypt's Orthodox Copts, at his Cairo headquarters on Sunday to offer his condolences.