Egyptian Armed Forces Fire At Christian Monasteries, 19 Injured

[nalnn]

Source: AINA

(AINA) -- For the second time in as many days, Egyptian armed force stormed the 5th century old St. Bishoy monastery in Wadi el-Natroun, 110 kilometers from Cairo. Live ammunition was fired, wounding two monks and six Coptic monastery workers. Several sources confirmed the army's use of RPG ammunition. Four people have been arrested including three monks and a Coptic lawyer who was at the monastery investigating yesterday's army attack.

Monk Aksios Ava Bishoy told activist Nader Shoukry of Freecopts the armed forces stormed the main entrance gate to the monastery in the morning using five tanks, armored vehicles and a bulldozer to demolish the fence built by the monastery last month to protect themselves and the monastery from the lawlessness which prevailed in Egypt during the January 25 Uprising.

"When we tried to address them, the army fired live bullets, wounding Father Feltaows in the leg and Father Barnabas in the abdomen," said Monk Ava Bishoy. "Six Coptic workers in the monastery were also injured, some with serious injuries to the chest."

The injured were rushed to the nearby Sadat Hospital, the ones in serious condition were transferred to the Anglo-Egyptian Hospital in Cairo.

Father Hemanot Ava Bishoy said the army fired live ammunition and RPGs continuously for 30 minutes, which hit part of the ancient fence inside the monastery. "The army was shocked to see the monks standing there praying 'Lord have mercy' without running away. This is what really upset them," he said. "As the soldiers were demolishing the gate and the fence they were chanting 'Allahu Akbar' and 'Victory, Victory'."

Read more: http://www.aina.org/news/20110223210634.htm

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Also from the article, "He also added that the army prevented the monastery's car from taking the injured to hospital."

Videos at the link.

[snappyturtle]

1. Oh, no. This doesn't sound good. nt

[snagglepuss]

2. Troubling news. nt

[xchrom]

3. How very sad. Nt

[somone]

4. Copts gather in Tahrir to protest purported attack on monastery

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/copts-gather-tahrir-protest-purported-attack-monastery

...The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which has governed the country since the 11 February ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak, said on its official page on Facebook that soldiers had removed "some walls that had been illegally built on the road and on land owned by the state."

The SCAF denied claims that the armed forces had been involved in attacks on the monastery or that it had any intention to demolish the building due to its “belief in freedom and the sanctity of places of worship."

The SCAF had previously issued a strongly-worded warning to groups involved in illegal practices, stressing that these groups would be dealt with firmly to "fully eliminate this phenomenon."

Egypt's Coptic Christians have long complained about a law that requires them to obtain state approval for any construction or additions to churches or monasteries.

[BeFree]

5. Hmmmm

Kinda reminds me of Waco, Texas and the Davidians.

We're not the only country with religious wackos, eh?

[nalnn]

6. I dunno

After New Year's over there, I would probably be building fences too.

[Blue State Bandit]

7. ? The Coptics are probably one of the oldest Christian sects in the world.

They pre-date the Council of Nicea in 325 AD when the modern Bible was formed. They were targeted by the Roman Catholic Church for their acceptance of women in leadership positions. I don't do religion personally, but have found that they are probably the closest thing to the Church Jesus was trying to found and is rummered to have been started by followers of Mary Magdalen soon after the execution of Jesus.

Christiandum is rife with wacko bastardizations, but the Coptics are not one of them.

[sybylla]

8. They are also a minority in Egypt and have long-suffered discrimination

on many more fronts. At least according to an old professor of my who was an Egyptian Coptic.

[No Elephants]

14. That applies to most Christians who live in Arab nations.

That has long been so, but has been getting worse.

In Hussein's Iraq, parts of the Christian Church had been so underground and isolated that services were still in Aramait.

[No Elephants]

13. Another version is that Copts date bak to the flight to Egypt of Joseph, Mary and infant Jesus

to esape Herod's order to kill all male infants under two.

[mainer]

16. And their language is probably the closest to that of ancient Egypt

That, at least, is what my teacher said when I was learning to read hieroglyphs.

[Uncle Joe]

9. It sounds like the Egyptian Army wants a military dictatorship back.

I've never thought of monasteries to be armed.

Thanks for the thread, nalnn.

[FLPanhandle]

10. If the Egyptian truly want a secular nation, they'd form a human perimeter

If not, they'll probably end up with some Theocracy.

[TomClash]

11. Disgusting

Every "faith" has amazingly stupid people.

[David__77]

12. Rightly or wrongly, the Copts are perceived as having been pro-Mubarak.

Clearly, things will be moving in a different direction now. I imagine that the "leading role" is Islam will be solidified in the coming year, and that Copts will be increasingly targeted. It is too bad, and I hope the progressives of Egypt will defend them and have solidarity.

[No Elephants]

15. Even if they were pro-Mubarak....

[riderinthestorm]

18. The military isn't usually too "progressive". I was afraid of this. nt

[rollin74]

17. a very disturbing development

:(