Egyptian gunman gets death sentence
Source: Agencies |
January 17, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A COURT in southern Egypt yesterday convicted and sentenced to death a Muslim man for his part in last year's Christmas shooting outside a church that left six Christians and a Muslim guard dead, judicial officials said.
The harsh verdict comes as the Egyptian government is scrabbling to contain Christian anger in the country following a deadly suicide blast at another church on New Year's Day that killed 21 worshippers and has left the community outraged.
Next month, the court will announce verdicts for the other two defendants in a case that had languished in the courts for the past year, the officials said.
The January 2010 attack in the southern town of Nag Hamadi took place outside a church as worshippers were leaving following the Coptic Christmas Eve Mass, and is believed to have been in retaliation for accusations of rape of a Muslim girl against a local Christian man.
Yesterday's hearing was held in the southern Egyptian city of Qena, close to Nag Hamadi, amid tight security.
Mohammed Ahmed Hassanein broke down on hearing the sentence by presiding judge Mohammed Fahmy Abdul-Maugoud. "I am a victim, I did not do it," screamed Hassanein, whose trial lasted 11 months. He was convicted of first degree murder and terror-related charges.
The severity of yesterday's sentence was likely to appease Egypt's Christians, who have complained that criminal cases involving Muslims attacking members of their community rarely come to justice swiftly.
Last week an off-duty police officer walked onto a train in southern Egypt and shot six Christians, killing a 71-year-old man, further exacerbating tensions within the country's largest minority.
The harsh verdict comes as the Egyptian government is scrabbling to contain Christian anger in the country following a deadly suicide blast at another church on New Year's Day that killed 21 worshippers and has left the community outraged.
Next month, the court will announce verdicts for the other two defendants in a case that had languished in the courts for the past year, the officials said.
The January 2010 attack in the southern town of Nag Hamadi took place outside a church as worshippers were leaving following the Coptic Christmas Eve Mass, and is believed to have been in retaliation for accusations of rape of a Muslim girl against a local Christian man.
Yesterday's hearing was held in the southern Egyptian city of Qena, close to Nag Hamadi, amid tight security.
Mohammed Ahmed Hassanein broke down on hearing the sentence by presiding judge Mohammed Fahmy Abdul-Maugoud. "I am a victim, I did not do it," screamed Hassanein, whose trial lasted 11 months. He was convicted of first degree murder and terror-related charges.
The severity of yesterday's sentence was likely to appease Egypt's Christians, who have complained that criminal cases involving Muslims attacking members of their community rarely come to justice swiftly.
Last week an off-duty police officer walked onto a train in southern Egypt and shot six Christians, killing a 71-year-old man, further exacerbating tensions within the country's largest minority.
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