Witnesses and security officials say relatives of seven people killed in an attack on churchgoers leaving a midnight Mass for Coptic Christmas smashed ambulances in riots outside a southern Egyptian hospital to demand the bodies be turned over for burial. A security official said police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd Thursday. Three gunmen in a car sprayed automatic gunfire into a crowd leaving a church in the town of Nag Hamadi, about 40 miles from the ancient ruins of Luxor. The lead attacker is identified as a Muslim. The release of bodies could be delayed for fear the funerals will turn into a flashpoint for more violence. The attack took place in the town of Nag Hamadi in Qena province, about 64 kilometers from the famous ancient ruins of Luxor. Egypt's Interior Ministry said the attack Wednesday just before midnight was suspected as retaliation for the November rape of a Muslim girl by a Christian man in the same town. The statement said witnesses have identified the lead attacker.
