(AINA) -- Hundreds of Muslims surrounded the church of St George
today in the village of Beni Ahmed West, 7 KM south of Minya, vowing to
kill its priest Father George Thabet, who was serving the morning mass
and was locked in the church with a number of parishioners. Security
forces arrived five hours later and escorted Father George in a police
car to the Coptic Diocese in Minya. "Father George looked as if he was
the criminal, leaving his church in a police car." said one of the
eye-witnesses. The Coptic youth who were attending mass remained inside
church to defend it from Muslim attacks.
Eyewitnesses reported the
Muslim mob, in their white dresses and long beards, chanted "We will
kill the priest, we will kill him and no one will prevent us." One of
their leaders said that they will "…cut him to pieces."
It was reported that no police or security of any kind was present during the events.
The
attacks on St. George Church trace back to March 23, 2011, when Muslims
had surrounded the 100-year old church, which held a renovation
license, and ordered the church officials to stop construction
immediately and undo what they had completed, otherwise they would
demolish the church after Friday prayers. They had placed several
demands on the church authorities, including the banning of Father
George Thabet from Beni Ahmad village and gave him a time limit of 35
days, later extended to 50 days, to leave the village with his family.
Muslims accused him of making extensions to the church and of causing
sectarian strife. The Archbishop of Minya had sent a priest two months
ago to assist Father George, in order to diffuse the situation, but the
Muslims resumed their pressure on the church (AINA 4-9-2011).
Muslims
started congregating near the church in small numbers since the evening
of June 21, after learning that Father George is returning to the
village. It is believed they were angry and wanted to kill him because
he defied the ban they placed on him.
The archdiocese of Minya
issued today a statement formally reiterating its strong dissatisfaction
with the incident and denouncing the "return of the Salafists to
besiege St. George's church again, some carrying weapons, threatening to
kill the priest unless he leaves the village."
The statement
rejected the interference in church affairs, saying the issue of care of
the church is the responsibility of the church authorities alone, and
not of any person or group. It called on government officials and
security authorities to do their part in upholding the rule of law and
maintaining security in the country.
The archdiocese refused any
preconditions to negotiate with political and security officials,
demanding the security forces disperse the demonstrations before any
negotiations can take place.
After Father George left the church
the Muslim mob remained until security arrived to disperse them. The
Muslims threatened that if they do not hear from the military commander
by tonight that the priest is banned from returning to the village, they
will hold their Friday prayers tomorrow, June 24, inside St. George's
church.
By Mary Abdelmassih
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