Egypt foils possible terrorist plot against Coptic Christians; policemen dead and injured.

From Al Monitor,  The Times of Israel and Egyptian Streets

An Egyptian policeman was killed and three others wounded in a shootout Tuesday with armed gunmen in Cairo, the interior ministry said in a statement. Egyptian security forces killed seven suspected militants in the capital, Cairo, the Interior Ministry said Tuesday. . . following a shootout that erupted when Egyptian security forces raided a hideout in the Amiriyah district in eastern Cairo. 

Authorities say the suspected terrorist cell was plotting attacks against the country’s Coptic Christians in southern and eastern Cairo to coincide with their Easter celebration on April 19.

The ministry said the cell was “neutralized” with seven militants killed.

Six rifles and a cache of ammunition were recovered from the scene and other weapons that were “to be used in their terror plan” were found in a nearby warehouse. Private television channel CBC Extra News showed footage of the gunfire, as residents of Al-Amiriyah suburb were warned to stay inside their homes away from windows and doors. The shootout lasted several hours, going beyond the 8:00 pm start of the nighttime curfew imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, a security source told AFP.

Egypt’s Cabinet identified the martyred NSA officer as Lieutenant-Colonel Mohamed El-Houfy.