Syria says the Islamic State group was behind the deadly attack on a Damascus church

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.

Chehayeb reported from Beirut.

Clergy and mourners attend a funeral service for victims of Sunday's suicide bombing at Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church, held at al-Saleeb Church in the al-Qasaa neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

A woman mourns next to the coffin of a victim during a funeral service at al-Saleeb Church in the al-Qasaa neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, June 24, 2025, following Sunday's suicide bombing at Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

Mourners carry crosses and chant slogans during the funeral procession for victims of Sunday's suicide bombing at Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church, outside al-Saleeb Church in the al-Qasaa neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

Pallbearers carry the coffin of a victim of Sunday's suicide bombing at Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church during a funeral service at al-Saleeb Church in the al-Qasaa neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

Mourners gather around the coffin of a victim of Sunday's suicide bombing at Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church, during a funeral service held at al-Saleeb Church in the al-Qasaa neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.

Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.

Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.

At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.

Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.

Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.

After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.

“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”

Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.

Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.

His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.

“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”

Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.

FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)