Explosive materials found with man in Upper Egypt

State security agents in Assiut, Upper Egypt, stormed the residence of a man found carrying a bag filled with material believed to be explosives, security sources say. Security officials are currently interrogating the man.

Meanwhile, sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm that state security investigators in Assiut are checking the files of Salafi students at the universities of Al-Azhar and Assiut. Investigators are focusing on expatriate students, especially those from Alexandria, to determine whether they had any links to the church bombing there which killed 23 and injured up to 100 on New Year's Eve.

Egypt’s security authorities have been under fire from government critics and rights groups for allegedly killing Sayed Belal, a Salafi Alexandria resident, while interrogating him about the church attack.