Egyptian detainee tortured to death

An Egyptian man detained after the fatal church bombing on New Year’s Eve in the city of Alexandria has allegedly been tortured to death.

The 32-year-old Mohamed Sayyid Bilal was arrested following the explosion outside a Coptic church in Alexandria last week and his body was turned over to his family a day after his arrest.

The blast claimed the lives of 23 people and injured dozens of others. His family members accuse Egyptian authorities of torturing him to death during his interrogation.

They are also demanding an investigation into the whole event.

The Egyptian Interior Ministry has refused to comment on the matter, but the public prosecutor has ordered an autopsy. Bilal’s body reportedly bore signs of torture and burns.

Rights groups have accused Egyptian police of brutality against detainees.

The attack spawned three days of protests by Christians involving clashes with security forces. The protesters have blamed the government for not doing enough to provide security for the minority, which accounts for 10 percent of the country’s 80 million people.

According to reports, more threats have been issued against Coptic churches in Egypt and Europe on several websites.

Egyptian police say they have detained 17 people in connection with the attack.