Old Man Killed, 6 Hurt, in Coptic Church Attacks in Egypt
By ABEER ALLAM
The New York Times
April 14, 2006
CAIRO, April 14 — Men wielding machetes attacked worshippers in three Coptic churches in the port city of Alexandria this morning, killing an 80-year-old man and wounding at least 6, the police there said.
A fourth attack was foiled and three attackers were arrested, the police said.
Hours after the attack, the Egyptian government, which is sensitive to sectarian incidents, cast the attack as an aberration. The governor of Alexandria, Gen. Abdel Sallam Mahgoub, told the state-run television that a 25-year-old mentally unstable person carrying two knifes attacked all three churches, wounding two men before he was arrested. In Cairo, the Ministry of Interior issued a statement identifying that attacker as Mahmoud Abdel Raziq Hussien, 25.
Some Coptic Christians said the government was trying to minimize the danger.
"What is worrying me is not the attack itself, but the insistence of the Egyptian security to cloud the truth," said Youssef Saidhum, editor of Watani, a weekly Coptic newspaper. "It does not only upset Copts, but it sends a message to the attackers, regardless of their ideology, that the government is either afraid of them or supports them, so they get stronger and bolder.
"Blaming it on a mentally ill person is nonsense," Mr. Saidhum added.
The government has often blamed the mentally unstable for terror attacks and other violence. A few months ago, in the killing of an entire family in a village in the south, the blame was put on a mentally ill person. And in the early 1990's, someone described as unstable attacked a tourist bus and was put in a mental hospital, only to come back later and attack more tourists.
The church attacks comes one week before the Coptic calendar celebrates Good Friday. Coptic Christians represent up to 10 percent of Egypt's population that totals 71 million. Sectarian violence flares from time to time.
In October, Muslims attacked churches and shops in Alexandria over the distribution of a DVD that Muslims felt ridiculed their faith. Four Muslims were killed by the police in weeklong protests.
When there is violence between Muslims and Christians, the government tries to hide it, Mr. Saidhum, said. In that situation, the Christians do not feel they have real protection from the authorities, he added.
The New York Times
April 14, 2006
CAIRO, April 14 — Men wielding machetes attacked worshippers in three Coptic churches in the port city of Alexandria this morning, killing an 80-year-old man and wounding at least 6, the police there said.
A fourth attack was foiled and three attackers were arrested, the police said.
Hours after the attack, the Egyptian government, which is sensitive to sectarian incidents, cast the attack as an aberration. The governor of Alexandria, Gen. Abdel Sallam Mahgoub, told the state-run television that a 25-year-old mentally unstable person carrying two knifes attacked all three churches, wounding two men before he was arrested. In Cairo, the Ministry of Interior issued a statement identifying that attacker as Mahmoud Abdel Raziq Hussien, 25.
Some Coptic Christians said the government was trying to minimize the danger.
"What is worrying me is not the attack itself, but the insistence of the Egyptian security to cloud the truth," said Youssef Saidhum, editor of Watani, a weekly Coptic newspaper. "It does not only upset Copts, but it sends a message to the attackers, regardless of their ideology, that the government is either afraid of them or supports them, so they get stronger and bolder.
"Blaming it on a mentally ill person is nonsense," Mr. Saidhum added.
The government has often blamed the mentally unstable for terror attacks and other violence. A few months ago, in the killing of an entire family in a village in the south, the blame was put on a mentally ill person. And in the early 1990's, someone described as unstable attacked a tourist bus and was put in a mental hospital, only to come back later and attack more tourists.
The church attacks comes one week before the Coptic calendar celebrates Good Friday. Coptic Christians represent up to 10 percent of Egypt's population that totals 71 million. Sectarian violence flares from time to time.
In October, Muslims attacked churches and shops in Alexandria over the distribution of a DVD that Muslims felt ridiculed their faith. Four Muslims were killed by the police in weeklong protests.
When there is violence between Muslims and Christians, the government tries to hide it, Mr. Saidhum, said. In that situation, the Christians do not feel they have real protection from the authorities, he added.
posted by Hanan Elbadry at 5:16 PM
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