MCN was able to contact the detained Gaballah, who said, “Does this satisfy God? My house gets burned down and they steal my belongings, and I am the one who gets arrested?”
“I was startled by gunshots close to my home, with dozens of people gathering in front of it,” he added. “They broke into my blacksmith workshop and looted it, while I escaped with my children as the fire had started spreading throughout the house.”
He continued, “The police escorted me to Minya’s police station where they detained me, with one of the officers accusing me of firing upon the attackers first, although I do not own a firearm. I am yet to learn of the reason behind my arrest, I have no lawyer, and all I can do is pray to God and bemoan my losses.”
“As I was being detained, I met with another Copt, Hanna Doss,” he concluded. “He was accused of being behind the crisis that erupted over a dispute about a song related to the army.”
For their part, Beni Ahmed Copts, along with a number of Muslims, formed checkpoints at the villages’ entrances, to help protect their homes from new attacks, while police patrols are made from time to time.
Village in Turmoil
Beni Ahmed village has witnessed attacks on its Coptic locals and their houses, which led to the burning of seven houses, 24 stores and nine vehicles.
The village’s Coptic locals are living a real tragedy, as destruction and devastation swept through their property, before their eyes, in light of a fierce campaign led by Islamist militants against Copts, ever since Morsi’s dismissal.
MCN was able to capture the victims’ suffering, as they bemoaned their losses, wondering what guilt had they committed to warrant such violence that ruined their properties. The village has a population of roughly five thousand people, mostly Copts, who suffered grave material losses after militants from seven neighboring villages attacked them, as rumors spread of Copts burning Al-Ferdous Mosque, which led to many Copts fleeing their houses, while others hurried to the local church to protect it.
MCN arrived at the scene a few hours after the events took place, while security forces were stationed in front of the local church, at which time smoke was still rising from the burned down shops, 12 hours after the fire was put out.
We found a number of burned vehicles at the side of the road, after which we met with the first Coptic family to be attacked, as their house is located at the village’s entrance, and was targeted after noticing a Christian photo that was hung at its door.
Magdi Youssef, a member of the family, said, “After I went back home from work, I heard about Muslims rallying, after a fight had occurred between a young Christian and another Muslim supporter of Morsi over the new song dedicated to the armed forces. A while later, gunshots were heard and we found vehicles transporting bearded vehicles from neighboring villages, which started attacking our house.”
“We shut the door and tried to jam it with logs of wood, only for the perpetrators to break down the gate and then set the house on fire, they attacked us with stones and I was hit in the head and leg, and we ran out of the house’s back door, while perpetrators stole our belongings and lit the house on fire.”
“It is unfortunate that this took place in the presence of police forces,” his brother Samuel added, “which stood watch and didn’t intervene.”
Magdi’s wife said, “What happened to us has ruined our lives, and no one knows how we suffer, while our kids are in a state of shock after what they have witnessed, as neighbors directing perpetrators to Copts’ houses.” She added the children have been unable to sleep so far, as a result of the panic state in which they live in.
As for Haggag Youssef, one of the Coptic locals, he said, “Protests were made against the army, in support of the dismissed President Morsi, before the events took place on Friday. On the other end of the village, a brawl occurred over a song in support of the army, and after evening prayers they rallied and threatened to attack the church.”
“They flooded in from seven neighboring villages, opening fire at the church and other shops owned by Copts, as the police stood idly watching. We reproach Col. Gen. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who was delegated by millions of Egyptians to face violence, and yet citizens remain to be terrorized.”
Sami Karam, owner of a supermarket, said, “We were surprised by the attacks, and the supermarket has been completely burned. They attacked my uncle as he confronted them. Our losses are estimated to be around 80,000 Egyptian pounds.”
We arrived at Dr. Magdi George’s pharmacy, which was shut, but he opened up to show us the effects of the destruction and looting that has occurred.
He said, “We were surprised by the attacks, as the perpetrators chanted ‘We will sacrifice our souls and blood for Islam’, preventing the fire trucks from entering the village to control the fires, while police stood idly watching.”
“They broke into my pharmacy, and stole the equipment and large sums of money, with losses estimated to be around 150,000 pounds.”
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Edited from: http://www.mcndirect.com/showsubject.aspx?id=48086,