It said that EIPR researchers obtained a number of testimonies proving that the sectarian incitement and tensions between the Muslims and Christians in Khosos witnessed notable escalation through the recent months. The Christian side attributed the state of tension that dominated the relations between the Muslims and Christians to continued harassment by Muslims against local Christian girls, while the Muslim blamed the harsh behavior on the part of a local Coptic family of Iskander with its Muslim neighbors.
The report refuted claims promoted by Egypt’s Interior Ministry and the presidency that Copts started the crisis by attacking Muslims.
EIPR said in its report that a number of witnesses reported that a certain “Sheik Mustafa” called upon Muslim residents who have firearms to “save their Muslim brothers from the Christians who were killing them.”
It added that such calls alarmed dozens of Christians to rally to protect St. George Church, while the Muslims attacked and attempted to steal a building owned by Farouk Iskander, throwing its furniture in the street and setting fire to the building, two neighboring houses (all empty of inhabitants) a nursery and a pharmacy – all owned by Copts.
The mob then went to the local Baptist church and assaulted it with Molotov cocktails, breaking its windows and a number of cars. The witnesses said that the security forces arrived about two hours later, and that power was cut from the area shortly afterwards.
“According to most accounts, masked armed people who came after 11 pm in a few cars stopped Christians in the streets and attacked them,” the report said. “They fired shots at those who rallied in front of the church in the presence of the security forces. These forces fled to side streets and then threw tear gas towards the church.”
Regarding the aggression against the cathedral, the report said that a clash erupted between a number of Christian youth on one hand and a police officer and three soldiers on the other hand who were standing beside the main gate of the cathedral during the funeral of the victims of Khosous. A number of witnesses attributed the clash to the provocative phrases that a security officer repeated, adding that he threw stones at the Copts.
It added, “The researchers of EIPR watched dozens of young Muslims who were coming from the neighboring streets of the cathedral. Some threw stones and bottles at the demonstrators, while others ascended the roofs of surrounding buildings and showered the demonstrators with stones and firebombs.”
It added that such actions increased the tension of the scene, as the two parties exchanged throwing stones.
The report denied the claims of the Interior Ministry and the presidency to place blame on the Copts for the violent actions in front of the cathedral.
Bloomberg News Agency quoted Major Mohamed Hassan, one of the officers who participated in securing the cathedral, as saying, “The residents of the area threw stones and bottles at the participants in the funeral.”
The report added that the security forces used tear gas against participants in the funeral, while the security guards of the cathedral were in contact with the Interior Ministry to protect the cathedral. It added that police forces used teargas against the cathedral excessively.
Researchers of EIPR said they saw a number of attackers who were standing beside the armored vehicles, throwing stones and bottles on the cathedral, while the security forces did not intervene to prevent them
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Edited from: http://www.mcndirect.com/showsubject.aspx?id=44746