Coptic monastery in Egypt attacked

Along with reading this article I would also recommend viewing the videos on the same site. Monks and monks-in-training being carried off in stretchers, the sights and sounds of gunfire, and the audio of phone calls made during the siege. All are available here.

(Coptic Assembly of America) - Two months ago, Abu Fana Monastery located in Mallawi, Minya Province, Egypt received final permission from the official authorities to build a protective wall around the monastery grounds. The construction on this wall began a few days prior to May 31st, 2008. The construction of this wall angered some residents of the closest village, and on May 31st, 2008 these residents started an armed attack on Abu Fana Monastery.

Father Mina, one of the Monastery’s resident monks, stated that “about 60 Muslim residents of the neighboring village attacked the monastery on Saturday, May 31st, 2008. The attacks began between the hours of 2 and 5pm (Cairo time) and continued until 9pm. The attackers were armed with automatic rifles, wood sticks, and other weapons.” The local police forces were called around 5pm, and did not arrive until 8pm, despite the fact that the local police station is only 15 miles from the Monastery. The attacks continued for about an hour after the arrival of the police, but the police did not interfere to protect during this time.

Father Mina added “We were surprised by the heavy fire. The attackers seized a bulldozer, which was rented by the monastery for the wall’s construction, and then proceeded to separate into different groups. The groups used the bulldozer to destroy some of the monk’s cells, burn 3 worker’s rooms, destroy the 1st floor of a church building, and completely destroy another church. The groups also used the bulldozer to destroy the Monastery’s mushroom farm, honey farm, and olive trees.”

Father Mina also said that during the attack, five monks were injured - some were hit with bullets (including one critical head wound) and some were beaten with sticks. The five injured monks are Father Bakhoum, Father Saweris, Father Isaac, Father Mikhail, and Father Finy. Four were taken to the hospital were taken to the hospital, two in critical condition. Father Bakhoum was the monk with the critical head wound. Also during the attack, two monks-in-training were injured and taken to the hospital. Their names are Mounir Labib Ibrahim and Refaat Zakaria Ayoub, and due to the nature of the wounds, it is expected that one will have to have his arm amputated.

Father Mina confirmed that the attackers kidnapped four people – 3 monks: Father Youaanis, Father Maximos, and Father Andraous; and the brother of Father Mina, Ibrahim Tiqi Riad.

Father Youaanis, when being interviewed at the hospital, stated that after the attackers kidnapped the three monks, they tortured them by beating and whipping them. He also said that the kidnappers broke his leg and arm, and put him on a donkey, releasing him into the desert, leaving him for dead and telling him to crawl back to the monastery. Father Maximos and Father Andraous (also in an interview at the hospital) stated that they were tied to a palm tree, whipped with electric cables, beaten with wooden sticks, and spit on by some women. The attackers asked Father Maximos and Father Andraous to spit on the cross and to give the confession of Islam. When the monks refused, the beatings and humiliation increased. The 3 monks were released after a full night around 3am. All three are in very poor condition, and the signs of the beatings and injuries are evident on their bodies. Mr. Ibrahim, Father Mina’s brother, is still missing.

Father Kirillious stated that during the time when the kidnapped persons were being held, a group of monks from the Monastery visited the Governor of El Minya’s office, asking him to interfere in order to ensure the safe return of all those kidnapped. The Governor asked them to pay ransom to the attackers, in exchange for the safe release of the kidnapped Christians. The Governor also threatened the monks to keep the incident secret, saying that if the monks did not keep quiet, the matter would be out of his hands and he will not be able to help them.

Father Kirillious condemned the Governor’s allegations against the monks. Governor Ahmed Dia Eldin had said that this incident was “an ordinary quarrel over disputed land between neighbors,” and that “fire was exchanged on both sides.” Father Kirillious asserted that the monks do not keep weapons, and condemned the negligence and complicity of the security forces and the Governor. Despite being invited, the Governor did not visit any of the injured monks or Copts.

Father Kirillious also pointed out that the security forces and the Governor’s story of accusing Refaat, the contractor hired to build the wall around the monastery, is a lie. Father Kirillious said that the security forces falsely charged Refaat in the murder of a Muslim man named Khalil Ibrahim Mohammed. The monks of the Monastery and Ibrahim, Refaat’s brother, testified that Refaat was not present at Abu Fana Monastery on May 31st. Refaat’s brother Ibrahim told reporters that he was present at the Monastery on May 31st in order to get a deposit from the Monastery, because he and his brothers are the paid contractors to build the wall. During the attack, Ibrahim and his son hid for 3 hours until the attack ended. Ibrahim also told reporters that a police office had asked him about his brother’s whereabouts, and he responded that his brother was in Mallawi purchasing supplies for the celebrations of the Holy Family’s visit to Egypt at St. Mary’s Monastery in Samaloute. The officer asked Ibrahim to call Refaat because he wanted to speak with him, Ibrahim did, and Refaat went to Abu Fana Monastery. From the Moanstery, Refaat was taken to the police station. As of now, Ibrahim does not know where Refaat is.

During the interview, Ibrahim also warned the reporter of the serious danger of this matter, because the charge of murder would give the green light for the attackers to retaliate and take revenge upon the entire family, including Refaat’s children, brothers, and his brother’s children. Ibrahim also asserted that the security forces would not be able to prevent this reveng