Friday, July 12, 2013

Sectarianism in Egypt Hits Home

I have just received a phone call that the brother of my brother-in-law was killed yesterday in El-'Arish, in north Sinai. His crime? He is a Copt!

My brother-in-law lives in Gaza with his family and has lived there for many, many years.

I read the news about a Copt who was killed in El-'Arish yesterday, but I did not realize at the time that he was a relative!

Please DO NOT TELL ME ANYMORE THAT "ISLAM IS THE ANSWER."

Tony Sayegh

Here is how his killing was reported:

Egypt: Coptic Christian priest shot dead
Father-Mina-Aboud-Sharween
"The priest, Mina Aboud Sharween, was attacked in the early afternoon while walking in the Masaeed area in El Arish.
The shooting in the coastal city was one of several attacks believed to be by Islamist insurgents that included firing at four military checkpoints in the region, the sources said.
Saturday's attacks on checkpoints took place in al-Mahajer and al-Safaa in Rafah, as well as Sheikh Zuwaid and al-Kharouba.
The violence follows attacks in which five police offers were killed in El Arish on Friday.
Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood has fiercely criticised Coptic Pope Tawadros, spiritual leader of Egypt's eight million Christians, for giving his blessing to the removal of Mr Morsi and attending the announcement by armed forces commander General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi suspending the constitution." 

3 comments:

Zarathustra said...

I am so sorry Tony. Allah Yirhamo and I hope those who killed him will get punished.

thankgodimatheist said...

Horrendous news. My sincerest condolences, Tony.
Hasn't there been another Copt, also a priest, been killed and beheaded last week? Looks like systematic attacks right now.

Tony Sayegh said...

Thank you Zarathustra and TGIA for your sincere condolences.

Yes, it appears to be a systematic campaign against Copts in Sinai by the Salafis. I am beginning to worry about the fate of Christians in Gaza, too.