Saturday, January 23, 2010

An Egyptian Muslim is charged with setting fire to a 25-year-old Christian, murdering the victim's father and wounding his younger brother over a rumor about a romance between the young Christian and the Muslim man's sister.

The events took place in the village of Dmas Meet-Ghamr after a rumor spread of a relationship between the 25-year-old Copt, Shehata Sabri, and the sister of a Muslim man named Yasser Ahmed Qasim.

Qasim allegedly poured gasoline over Sabri and set him on fire as bystanders looked on in horror. The young Copt threw himself into the adjacent canal to try to put out the flames. The fire left burns all over his body, leading to his death.

After the attack, the Coptic community rallied in the village. When Sabri Shehata, the father of the victim, arrived, he, too, was attacked by a group of Muslims who stabbed him with knives and daggers; one stab penetrated his back and came out of his abdomen below the rib cage, resulting in his death.

(Story continues below)

Rami Sabri Shehata, the 22-year-old brother of the burning victim, was also beaten and sustained serious injury to the head.

Security forces moved into the village of 60,000 people, which includes more than 1,000 Copts, surrounded the victims' house and deployed extra forces throughout the village.

Several Muslims were reportedly charged with homicide, according to a translation of news accounts by Voice of the Copts.

Related offers:

"They Must Be Stopped: Why We Must Defeat Radical Islam and How We Can Do It"

"Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West"

Is Islam inherently violent? New blockbuster, 'Religion of Peace?,' reveals disturbing facts

"Everlasting Hatred: The Roots of Jihad"

Definitive work on Mideast ? available only here!

"Israel in Crisis"

"Myths and Facts: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict"

Perfect gift! Compass that points to Jerusalem

Previous stories:

Islamic judges strip Christian mothers of children

Shariah sentence threatens Christian woman's family

Woman freed from sentence for being 'Christian'

Copts plan rally in support of jailed mom

'You're not a Christian - Go to jail!'

Christians acquitted of insulting Islam

Human rights activists arrested in Egypt

'We are Christian,' boys tell Muslims

Egyptian Christian escapes deportation

Christian fears torture if deported

Muslims attack Christians accused of building church

Al-Qaida's fingerprints on Dahab bombings

Muslims trash Egyptian church

Christian in mental hospital over Islam switch

Egypt attempts to close Copt church

Egypt destroys new Coptic church

Why Egypt's Coptic Christians suffer