CAIRO — Terrorism struck Egypt once again on April 9, on Palm Sunday, when two bombings targeted St. George’s Church in Tanta and Saint Mark’s Church in Alexandria, killing 48 people and injuring dozens. In the aftermath, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took a series of urgent measures. He declared a three-month state of emergency as well as the formation of a supreme council to fight terrorism and extremism in Egypt. In addition, the parliament is in the process of amending four laws related to prosecuting terrorists, amendments that were approved during an April 10 parliament session. The Egypt Support Coalition — Egypt’s majority parliamentary bloc — is putting new legislation in place to protect public facilities and worship places.

Al-Monitor attended the April 10 general parliamentary session held to amend four laws related to prosecuting terrorists. The members of parliament underlined during the session the need for a comprehensive strategy that includes new ways to combat terrorism in Egypt.

The parliament’s committee of legislative and constitutional affairs called on members of parliament earlier in the morning of April 10 to finish drafting a parliamentary bill proposed by the Egypt Support Coalition titled Bill to Amend the Code of Criminal Procedure. The bill aims to introduce amendments to four Egyptian laws related to prosecuting terrorists: the law of criminal procedures, the 1959 Law No. 57 in the part related to appeal cases and measures before the Court of Cassation, the 2015 Law No. 8 regarding the organization of terrorist lists and the 2015 Anti-Terrorism Law No. 94.

Egypt Support Coalition member of parliament Salah Hasballah who prepared the bill told Al-Monitor, “The legal amendment bill aims at expediting prosecution procedures, especially in terrorism cases.”