Muslim Cleric Calls for Jihad, Copts Attacked
by Joseph C. DeCaro, Worthy News International Corespondent
SHIMI, EGYPT (Worthy News)– During Friday prayers, Imam Sheikh Tobah called for jihad against all Christians living in the Egyptian village of Shimi.
Christian Copts were assaulted over the next two days; 11 were hospitalized and many Copt youths were arrested.
The assaults began only hours after the Imam’s incitement. Security forces took the first Copt victims to a police station where they were pressured into accepting "reconciliation" with their attackers, but no Muslims were arrested.
"I was told by the security authorities that for the sake of the Holy month of Ramadan, everyone ought to make peace," said Reverend Ezra Nageh. (But) "I was against reconciliation, because I know that the culprits know that they can assault Copts, and in the end, it will boil down to Copts giving up all their rights with the reconciliation sessions."
The next day, Muslims again attacked the houses of the Copts; they beat the inhabitants and also any Copts found in the fields.
"We are forced into reconciliation and in less than 24 hours, we are assaulted again," said Ghali Tawfik, one of the Copt victims.
"They have humiliated us," said Maher Amin. "We were beaten and we could not do anything about it. We are weak and helpless and have to accept reconciliation. They will next come to our homes and rape our women, and we will not be able to do anything about it."
After Police released the Copt victims who were initially detained at the station, they then arrested three Copt youths on old charges and transferred them to (Egyptian) State Security, but Ezra said State Security is employing an old trick: detaining innocent Copts and fabricating crimes against them in order to force the church into accepting reconciliation.
"They attack us today and force reconciliation on us," said Ezra. "Are they waiting for us to be killed tomorrow and then they would think about the rule of law?"