Pope Shenouda III Accuses ‘Infiltrators’ of Being behind Egypt Riots

The clashes that erupted Sunday between Coptic Christians and Egyptian security forces have raised fears that sectarian and political tensions in the country will increase given that Egypt is passing through a transition period following the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt's ruling military council on Monday ordered a speedy probe into clashes which killed 25 people as the cabinet held crisis talks amid fears of widespread sectarian unrest.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) "tasked the government with quickly forming a fact finding committee to determine what happened," in a statement read on state television.

It called for "all measures against all those proven to have been involved, either directly or by incitement."

Both the ruling council and the cabinet held crisis talks, a day after the clashes in Cairo that left 25 dead, mostly Coptic Christians, and more than 300 people injured, according to health ministry figures.

Military prosecutors began questioning 25 people accused of involvement in the clashes, MENA said, after a security official said 40 people were arrested overnight.

Copts had been holding a demonstration against an attack earlier this month on a church in the southern city of Aswan when the violence broke out. Fighting also later took place near the hospital that caused more casualties.

Egypt's Coptic Orthodox church led by Pope Shenouda III accused "infiltrators" among the demonstrators of having triggered the battle in streets on the Nile waterfront.

"The Christian faith denounces violence. Strangers infiltrated the demonstration and committed the crimes for which the Copts have been blamed," it said after Shenuda held a meeting with 70 church leaders.

"Copts have suffered repeated problems without accountability for the aggressors," it said in a statement, calling on authorities to "solve the root causes of the problems."

The clashes rattled the Cairo stock exchange, which shed 5.15% within minutes of opening.

On the international scene, European leaders who were gathered for talks in Luxembourg, where the bloodshed in Cairo suddenly took center-stage, expressed alarm at the clashes.

A curfew was imposed overnight in parts of the Egyptian capital following the violence.

In a late-night address, Prime Minister Essam Sharaf appealed to Egyptians "not to give in to sedition" and warned that the country was "in danger."

At least five of the dead were mown down by a speeding army vehicle which swerved to hit protesters, a Coptic priest said, while an AFP correspondent saw bodies with gunshot wounds at the hospital.

The grand imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Tayyeb, the Sunni religious head, called for crisis talks between Muslim and Christian leaders later on Monday "in a bid to contain the crisis." state television said.

Some commentators warned of civil strife between Egypt's Muslims and minority Christians.

Others said the clashes were fuelled not only by sectarian strife but also by anger towards the security services and the military council which succeeded Mubarak.

Government-backed provocation was also blamed.

Users of social networking sites such as Twitter said the initial clashes outside the state television building on the Nile were provoked by "thugs" at the scene, while the television was accused of fanning anti-Coptic sentiment.

On Monday, Egyptian authorities announced the hanging of a man sentenced to death for shooting six Copts last year.

The protesters in Cairo clashed with anti-riot police and soldiers guarding the state television building, after thousands took part in a protest march from the Shobra district.

A standoff degenerated as the demonstrators started hurling stones and set fire to two cars, an AFP correspondent said. The television channel said an army vehicle was burnt.

"Down with the marshal," the thousands of demonstrators chanted on the march to Maspero, referring to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who heads the military council.

State television reported that three soldiers were shot dead and dozens of their comrades wounded.

Copts complain of systematic discrimination, but since Mubarak's fall, tensions have also mounted between the military -- initially hailed for not siding with Mubarak -- and groups which spearheaded the revolt.

Activists charge the army has been reluctant to carry out genuine reforms.