Egypt Arrests, Charges 22 Overwhelmed And Terrified Christian Teens In Church Attack Incident

From Jihad Watch:

Egypt arrests, charges 22 "overwhelmed and terrified" Christian teens in church attack incident


Blaming the victim, and the victim's children. "Egyptian Christian Teens Arrested and Charged in Church Incident," by Mary Abdelmassih for AINA, December 3:



(AINA) -- In what is viewed as a precedent by right groups, Egyptian state security forces opened fire on November 24 on Christian Copts, killing four, wounding 78, detaining hundreds and charging 170 with grievous charges -- "enough to keep them behind bars for 10-15 years," says Coptic political analyst Magdy Khalil.

Working at the construction site of their new church in Talbiya, Omraniya, an area south of Cairo densely populated by poor Christians, the congregation was surprised at dawn by nearly 5000 security forces, opening fire on them with live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas. They responded by hurling stones or throwing back at them their tear gas bombs (video). To protest against this attack, nearly 3000 area Copts went to the Governorate building, where they were met again with a hail of live ammunition and tear gas; many were wounded and arrested. Coptic youth hurled stones, broke glass and two kiosks (AINA 11-30-2010).



The true number of those arrested is unknown as not all are yet charged. It was reported that police are still arresting Coptic men from the area, making families stay indoors. 170 men have been charged to-date.



Rights lawyers learned lately of 22 Coptic minors were arrested by security from the church site. Some, as young as 16, were hiding inside the church building but "hunger brought them out after 2-3 days, when forces caught them, saying they would send them to their families, but instead arrested them," reported Mariam Ragy. They were sent to Al-Marg Juvenile Detention Center, northern-east of Cairo.



Lawyer Adel Mikhail, who represented two of them on December 1, said: "They are just overwhelmed and terrorized kids, mostly 16-year-olds, who had nothing to do with the protests. They were at church doing odd jobs like moving sand." Police interrogated them on the day of the incidents without the presence of lawyers, who were prevented by security. They were all charged with attempted and premeditated murder, destruction of state property with intention of terrorism, theft of Interior Ministry's property, intentionally disrupting public transport, and rioting. [...]



Father Mina Zarif of Mar Mina Church, criticized the media for portraying the Coptic youths as if they were registered criminals, making Molotov cocktails. "I doubt if any of those peaceful people know what a Molotov cocktail looks like," he said, "let alone make one." He added that what happened is a crime but the real perpetrators were not the protesting Copts. "Although wrong, they released their anger by breaking glass and hurling stones at the Governorate building."



Posted by Robert on December 2, 2010 11:39 P