'Our long history here gives us just as much right to it as any other religious or ethnic group. We won't relinquish that to anyone.'

Christian lawmaker Yonadam Kana likewise told DPA that he saw 'an expression of foreign interests' in Sunday's attack, but would not elaborate.

Iraq's 800,000 Christians are among the smallest minorities in the country. Last year, thousands fled the northern city of Mosul for outlying villages after a series of attacks on them there.

Sabah was careful not to paint Christians as especially victimized.

Sunday's attack was 'a crime that is part of the violence that is directed against all Iraqis,' she said.

Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, from the Iraqi Islamic Party, a descendant of the Iraqi Muslim Brotherhood, echoed those sentiments.

'This is a declaration of the bankruptcy of the powers of darkness,' he said.