Egyptian officials confirm a group of Islamic extremists attacked the businesses of Christians today in the town of Luxor.

Many of the shops owned by Coptic Christians were burned to the ground.

Authorities investigating the attack said that Islamists marched into the shops in the village of el-Mahmeed and threw gasoline bombs into shop windows.  Police say that they have not made any arrested and currently have no persons of interest because of a lack of witnesses coming forward to identify who threw the bombs.

The Islamists are launching attacks ahead of the blasphemy trial of a young Coptic Christian who Islamists claim posted disparaging remarks about Islam on the internet.  The trial had been scheduled to begin today.

The young Christian, Kerolos Ghattas, is facing the death penalty if convicted.