Egypt
Saint George Church, Tanta, Palm Sunday Martyrs
9 April 2017
Summary
A suicide bomber detonated himself inside Mar Girgis (Saint George) Abu Naga Church in Tanta, Gharbia Governorate, during the Easter liturgy while the church was crowded with worshippers. The explosion killed 30 people and injured approximately 71 to 87 others. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, naming the perpetrator 'Abu Ishaq al-Masri.' A second bombing targeted the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria later that same day; the two attacks are collectively known as the 'Palm Sunday Bombings.'
Incident Details
The explosive device was planted under one of the seats in the first row of the men's section inside the church. Shortly before 10:00 AM, as the liturgy was being read and worshippers celebrated Palm Sunday, the suicide bomber detonated his vest. Nearly all victims were men seated in the front rows. Survivor accounts described horrific scenes inside the church, with severe injuries caused by shrapnel and falling sections of the church ceiling. Security context: ten days before the bombing, security forces had found a suspicious device near the church following a civilian report and dealt with it. Eight days before the incident, another bombing targeted a police training center in Tanta itself.
Timeline
Approximately 18 days before the incident (about 8 days before)
Bombing targeting a police training center in Tanta
Ten days before the incident
Security forces find a suspicious device near the church and neutralize it
9 April 2017, morning (9:07 AM)
Bombing of Mar Girgis Abu Naga Church in Tanta
9 April 2017, afternoon
Second bombing on the same day targeting the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria
29 May 2017
Martyr Bola Abdullah Georgi dies from injuries after battling illness
11 October 2018
Alexandria Military Court verdict issued
February 2020
Death sentence carried out against 8 defendants
Related Martyrs
Deacon Dr. Anwar Iskandar Hana
Alexandria
Deacon Michel Labib Mikhail
Magdy Sami George Abdel-Sayed
Tanta
Deacon Fakhry Latif Marcos
Deacon William Nassef Yousef Atiya
Kafr El Zayat
Engineer Maher Fouad Rizq Allah Shenouda
Dr. Adel As'ad Shokry As'ad George
Tanta
Khairi Cyrus Atiya Mansour
Deacon Mina Naeem Zaky George
Tanta
Counselor Samuel George Nagib
Tanta
Michael Samir Iskandar
Tanta
Deacon Shady Kamal Labib Sedhom
Deacon Dr. Michael Nabil Ragab Iskandar
Tanta
Deacon Sulaiman Sulaiman Sulaiman al-Wardani
Deacon Adel Sulaiman Abdel-Sayed Riyad
Tanta
Deacon Michel Abd al-Malik Mikhail
Tanta
Deacon Beshoy the Priest Daniel
Deacon Raouf Selib George
Cleric Engineer Sulaiman Shaker Sulaiman
Tanta
Rimon Yousef George
Sami Fam George
Kom Hamada — Beheira
Major Medhat Mousa Tadros
Tukh al-Nasara — Tala — Menoufia
Ragai Lotfy Sadek
Tanta
Deacon Fadi William Masry
Deacon Fadi Ramses George
Tanta
Deacon Sulaiman Ayyoub Awadallah
Sabarbay Village
Saad Zaki Badawy
Beshoy Nadi Shenouda
Assiut - Sahel Selim Center - Nazlet Bakhoum
Victor Fayez Abdo Habashi
Deacon Bola Abdullah Georgi
Media Archive
Documentary videos, news coverage, and testimonies related to this event.
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