WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Monday after a series of terrorist attacks in Egypt targeted at Coptic Christians prompted the government to declare a three-month state of emergency. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks:

“I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the innocent people killed while celebrating Palm Sunday in Alexandria and Tanta, Egypt, yesterday. I wish the injured a speedy recovery as Egyptian officials work to improve the immediate security situation and investigate what happened.

“The international community’s resolve to destroy ISIS and their warped ideology must be strengthened in light of this act of depravity. Violent attacks on innocent people anywhere are unacceptable, but they take on a special ugliness when they are aimed at peaceful religious observers.

“The government in Cairo must improve its record protecting minority groups across Egypt, including the Coptic Christians, who make up 10 percent of the population. This is a message I shared with President el-Sisi last week in Washington.”

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