Christians Under Attack

In a video interview conducted by Copts United (click here to watch the interview " In Arabic”) with a background of a noisy Azan/Adhan (Muslim call to prayer) Medhat’s daughter wept as she spoke of what happened. The family lives in an area that is considred to be a hotbed of fanatic Islamists who insisted on talking with Medhat about conversion from Christianity to Islam,  He did not like their way of insulting Christianity, and had a few arguments with them about it. On the 10th December 2005 a group of bearded Islamists gathered around the house where Medhat lives with his family. They started shouting and hurling insults on him, calling him a "Kafir"(infidel) and challenging him to come down from his balcony. Telling his family that he cannot hide as a coward, he went down, unarmed, to face the Islamists. They were armed with thick sticks and swords, and started attacking him viciously. Someone dragged him back to the house thus saving his life, and it seemed that the matter would stop here. However, few hours later, Members of the State Security Services came to the house and arrested Medhat, without telling his family of the reasons for the arrest nor about his charges. Since his arrest, Medhat seems to have disappeared. No one knows why he was arrested, where he is at, or how long will he remain in detention. Their house was attacked and all the glass windows smashed.

All this plus fabricated accusations against Medhat were supported by members of the Police, especially an Islamist officer with the name of Mousa Abou El Eyneen. The family is still in the dark as to what is happening to Medhat.

The daughter and her mother cry quietly as they tell the story, and Medhat's brother shows the official document of the detention. They tell of neighbors shouting at them" Be grateful that you(as Copts) are allowed to live with us(Muslims)" and "Let us burn the house of Kuffar (Infidels)". Some Islamists also declared that their aim is to "cleanse the area from the Copts".

As for the little daughter, all she wants is to have her father back, safe and sound

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Verbatim of the daughter's statement:

What’s your name?

A: Hilana(Helen) Medhat Aziz Ibrahim,

Q: What happened?

A: (Mother saying, you were there, tell them what happened)

Hilana (Helen) saying: As my father was in the balcony, a man insulted him and called him an infidel and then beat him up, people ganged up against him and beat him up

(Crying)

Q: Where were you then?

A: I was here in the living room

Q: then what happened?

A: After he insulted him ( my father), they hurled stones at him and told him to come down you infidel

Q: Then what?

A: My father went down, and then they ganged up against him and beat him

Q: What do they look like? Or what are their names?

A: They had long beards (i.e. Radical Islamists)

Q: Do you know them?

A: Yes

Q: Can you identify them?

A: Yes

Q: Do you know any of their names?

A: Yes, Abdallah, Adel, Sheikh Maher, and Sheikh Men’am

Q: Did your father suffer any injuries?

A: Yes, They attacked him with swords, he suffered injuries to his eye, and hit him with their fists,

 Q: What else?

A: I did not see him when he came up

Q: Then what happened?

A: Officers came and took him

Q: Around what time?

A: 1:00 AM

Q: then what?

A: I haven’t seen him nor know anything about him since then

Q: You will see him soon, God willing, in Jesus’ name, don’t worry, he will come back, in Jesus name

Q: Do you go to Sunday school?

A: Yes, at a nearby house

Q: There is no churches around?

A: No, there is one. About a kilometer away ( says a man in the background)Q: Do you memorize any hymns?A: Yes, my father compiled it and taught me how to sing itQ: Can you sing it for us?

A: (Singing) Mother of Jesus, O Holy Virgin Mary who bore for us the Holy One...(then breaks down in tears)

posted by free copts