71-year-old Coptic Christian Shot Dead on Train in Upper Egypt

In my previous blog post, I mentioned that the Washington Times reported that they were not sure if the gunman who shot down the Christian on the train was intentionally targeting Christians.  Dan Wooding from Assist New Services writes a compelling article outlining numerous times that it was very evident, that the shooter, did indeed target Christians.  Click here for the full article.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

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Security sources said that the assailant had checked passengers for the green cross traditionally tattooed on the wrists of Coptic Christians in Egypt. After identifying several Copts, the culprit killed one of them and injured five others.

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“The gunman, identified as Amer Ashour Abdelzaher, was an off-duty Muslim policeman who fired his service handgun at innocent civilians because they are Christians,” revealed Elepty.

“An Interior Ministry statement said authorities had arrested the gunman, a Muslim, and were actively seeking a motive for the shooting. The gunman, was on his way to work, boarded the train in Minya province, an area south of Cairo along the Nile that has a sizeable Christian population.”

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A Coptic bishop told AFP that the gunman, named by the ministry as Amer Ashur Abdel Zaher, had sought out Christians on board the train and shouted a Muslim slogan – “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest) -- as he opened fire.

The Egyptian journalist continued, “The policeman, who was said to be on his way to work, boarded a stationary Cairo-bound train at Samalout, in the southern Minya province, and began shooting with his service weapon, the ministry said.

“He killed Fathi Said Ebeid, aged 71, and wounded his 61-year-old wife. Two of the others wounded were said to be in critical condition.

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Bishop Morcos, who serves with the Coptic Church in Samalout, said he had spoken to witnesses after the shooting.

“This lunatic went up and down the coach looking for Christians,” the bishop recounted. “Seeing a group of girls and women who were not wearing the (Islamic) veil, he took them for Christians and fired, shouting ‘Allahu Akbar.’”

Editors Note:  I find it interesting that Dan Wooding's article mentions nothing about the Christians pelting the police, as the Washington Examiner mentioned.  And the Washington Examiner mentions nothing about the Muslim assailant intentionally seeking out Christians.