Suspects in gun massacre at church held

THREE suspects in a drive-by shooting on Christmas Eve that killed six Christians in Egypt gave themselves up yesterday.

Security forces blanketed the area in the country's south between the village of Farshout and the town of Naga Hamadi, where the shooting happened, stopping the suspects from fleeing to surrounding hills, state media reported.

Police found the car used in the attack and then surrounded fields of sugar cane where the suspects were hiding.

The gunmen opened fire on worshippers leaving a church in Naga Hamadi, 40 miles north of the famed ruins of Luxor on Wednesday, the day before Egypt's orthodox Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas. A Muslim guard was also killed.

Thousands of Christians in Naga Hamadi went on a rampage over the attack and perceived discrimination against their community. They clashed with police and smashed windows.

The interior ministry said it suspected the attack was in retaliation for the alleged rape of a 12-year-old Muslim girl by a Christian man in the town.