DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — The sleeper cell behind a deadly church bombing near Damascus belonged to the Islamic State group, which had plans to target a Shiite shrine in a similar attack, Syria 's Interior Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.
Sunday's attack on the Mar Elias church killed at least 25 people. The attack was the first of its kind in Syria in years, and comes as Damascus under de facto Islamist rule is trying to win the support of the country's minorities.
Noureddine Al-Baba told journalists a second attacker was caught Monday on his way to target a Shiite shrine in the Sayyida Zeinab suburb in Damascus, where many sites of the Islamic sect are located. Al-Baba said security forces also thwarted a third operation, where an attacker on a motorbike was going to target a crowded gathering in the capital. He did not give further details.
“We raided IS hideouts, seizing weapons and explosive caches,” said Al-Baba, who said security forces were able to reach the sleeper cell's leader after interrogating the second attacker. He said the church bomber was not Syrian but did not give details.
Al-Baba said cell leader Mohammad Abdelillah al-Jumaili was an “IS leader” responsible for recruiting extremists from the sprawling Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria to conduct attacks.
Tens of thousands of IS militants and their families from around the world live in Al-Hol, held by Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The SDF condemned the attack on Sunday.
Meanwhile, funerals were held for the victims of the church bombing at the Church of the Holy Cross in Damascus. Church bells rang and women ululated as men walked through the weeping crowds carrying white coffins. The crowds cheered as the clergy honored the victims as martyrs.
Dima Beshara, 40, who lost her cousin Emil, 38, and seven other family members in the attack said Syria has always enjoyed religious coexistence and that she was among many from all sects who celebrated the downfall of ousted leader Bashar Assad in December.
“What did they do wrong? They went to the house of God to pray?” Beshara said at the graveyard. “Am I supposed to be scared every time I want to go and pray?”
She fears for her life and those of her loved ones, who regularly attend church for prayers, weddings and funerals.
“We love everyone. We don't have a problem with anyone. But we hope that they love us in return,” she said.
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Chehayeb reported from Beirut.
Ghaith Alsayed And Kareem Chehayeb, The Associated Press
