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Africa North

Egypt court sentences 2 to death, 9 to jail over 2017 terrorist attack on a Coptic church

2019-05-13

[AlAhram] A Cairo criminal court sentenced two men to death on Sunday and handed down prison terms to a number of others over a 2017 terrorist attack on a Coptic church south of Cairo that killed 11 people. The attack took place in Helwan district on the outskirt of Cairo when button men opened fire on the Coptic Orthodox church of Mar Mina and a neighbouring Christian-owned shop in December 2017. The Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... terrorist group later grabbed credit for the attack via its Amaq news agency. The court on Sunday sentenced two defendants to death, including the main assailant, who was tossed in the calaboose Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! after being maimed shortly following the attack. The other defendant was sentenced in absentia. Two others were sentenced in absentia to life in prison, four to 10 years and two to three years, while one was acquitted. The defendants were convicted on charges including murder, attempted murder, and leading and financing a bad boy group. Defendants sentenced in absentia in Egypt automatically receive retrials once they are arrested or turn themselves in. The sentences can be appealed within 60 days before the Court of Cassation, the country's highest civilian court. ...which still is not the final step in the process, but it keeps a large legal staff gainfully employed.

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Africa North

Egypt court sentences two defendants to death over 2017 church attack

2019-04-17

[AlAhram] A Cairo criminal court sentenced on Tuesday two defendants to death over a 2017 terrorist attack against the Saint Menas ...also known as the Mar Mina Coptic church... and Pope Cyril IV church in Helwan, which killed nine Christian civilians and one policeman. The court has referred the sentence to the country’s grand mufti for his non-binding opinion, as required by Egyptian law, pending a final verdict. The court has set 12 May to issue sentences on all 11 defendants in the case. The defendants in the case were referred to court on charges of forming, operating, joining and financing a takfiri ...an adherent of takfir wal hijra, an offshoot of Salafism that regards everybody who doesn't agree with them as apostates who most be killed... group, murder, attempted murder, and forceful resistance of coppers. The Arabic word "takfiri" refers to hardline Sunni Moslems who accuse other Moslems and followers of other religions of being infidels, often as a justification for using violence against them.

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Africa North

Egypt prosecutor-general refers 11 to criminal court over 2017 terror attack on Helwan Church

2018-12-02

[AlAhram] Egypt’s Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek referred on Saturday 11 individuals to criminal court for carrying out an attack on a church in south Cairo in December 2017, which killed nine Copts and a policeman ahead of Coptic Christian Christmas celebrations last year. In an official statement, the prosecution charged the defendants with "establishing and leading a Takfiri ...an adherent of takfir wal hijra, an offshoot of Salafism that regards everybody who doesn't agree with them as apostates who must be killed... group, funding its members, and killing nine Christians and a policeman, and the attempted murder of another." Security forces rubbed out one of the attackers ...the bearded dude in a suicide vest... in an exchange of fire outside the church of Mar Mina, ... sometimes referred to as Saint Mina Coptic church in the district of Helwan... while another assailant was tossed in the slammer Drop the rod and step away witcher hands up! The charges listed by the prosecution also include resisting police by force and violence, as well as manufacturing and possessing an bomb to be used to endanger people’s lives. It also charged the defendants with seeking to join the terrorist group ISIS abroad to carry out terror acts in Egypt, as well as using websites to exchange messages and assignments to execute the terrorist activities. The prosecution identified the leader of the group as Ibrahim Ismail Mostafa, ...he was the one who was shot while trying to get through the police guard on a motorcycle, carrying a bomb, machinegun, and ammunition after killing two at a nearby shop. He’s been described as “an active terrorist who has carried out a number of terrorist attacks targeting police and civilians since 2016,” suggesting a thick file at police headquarters... currently in jug, as well as ten others. ...which suggests the others are not, at the moment, in police custody. The attack in December 2017 came nearly a week ahead of preparations by Copts, who make up 10-15 percent of Egypt's 104 million population, to celebrate Christmas on 7 January.

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Africa North

Egypt prosecutors to question suspect in Helwan church terrorist attack once his health stabilises

2018-01-01

[AlAhram] Egypt’s High State Security Prosecution will question a suspect in Friday's terrorist attack on a Coptic church in Helwan, south of Cairo, as soon as his health stabilises, the general prosecutor’s office said in a statement. The suspect, whom the ministry identified as Ibrahim Ismail Mostafa, shot up Mar Mina Church on Friday, killing a total of nine people and injuring four before he was shot and captured. The ministry said the suspect is currently in recovery. Police revealed that Mostafa has carried out multiple terrorist attacks against civilians and coppers since 2016. Investigators say he shot two people dead at a shop on Friday before heading to the church, where he rubbed out another seven people, including a lower-ranking policeman. According to Sunday's statement, Sherlocks are also gathering the testimony of eyewitnesses to the attack in Helwan, with a view to determining how it was conducted. The High State Security Prosecution has ordered the retrieval and examination of CCTV footage from both the church and the shop. The general prosecution also ordered ballistics experts to inspect shell casings of bullets found in the vicinity of the attack in an attempt to match them with a machine gun used by the suspect. They will also be seeking to determine whether the same weapon used by Mostafa to attack Mar Mina was used in other terrorist attacks. Friday's attack took place as Egyptian Coptic Christians, who make up 10 percent of the country's 93 million population, prepare to celebrate Christmas on 7 January. Police have deployed 230,000 personnel nationwide to secure churches, parks and vital public institutions during Christmas celebrations. Egypt witnesses: Residents prevented much worse attack on church [IsraelTimes] Witnesses say the deadly attack outside a church in Egypt lasted up to 20 minutes and that it took another 10 minutes before police apprehended the assailant. Speaking to The News Agency that Dare Not be Named on Sunday, two days after the attack claimed by the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... group, they said residents and worshippers may have prevented a much deadlier assault. The witnesses say quick thinking by worshipers who closed the church’s iron gate and the brave action of a 53-year-old resident who pounced on the gunman as he tried to reload his automatic rifle may have saved dozens of lives. The Friday attack targeted the Mar Mina church in Cairo’s southern Helwan suburb and a nearby, Christian-owned shop, killing at least nine people in total.

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Africa North

Egypt’s security forces kill three members of Hasm terrorist group in raid after interior ministry uncovers plot

2017-12-31

[AlAhram] Egypt's interior ministry announced on Saturday that security forces had raided a hideout belonging to the Hasm ...Hasm (Decisiveness) and Liwaa el-Thawra (The Revolution Brigade) are the NeverSisi militant arms of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. They sprang into existence, fully formed, in October, 2016, probably inheriting personnel from previous MB armed factions, and apparently organized by Mohammed Kamel, who was responsible for MB special cells until he was killed by security forces in a hail of gunfire about the time the two groups appeared... terrorist group at a farm on Korayemat road, near Atfih in the Giza province, killing three leading members of the group in a shootout. "The farm was used as a base for plotting and committing terrorist actions and for manufacturing explosives. A cache of weapons and ammunition was seized," the ministry said in a statement. "Under the framework of proactive security efforts against terrorist groups, the ministry had uncovered a plan by Hasm to commit hostile actions that target touristic and other vital facilities, as well as police and armed forces, during Christmas celebrations in an attempt to cause instability and portray a negative image of the security situation in Egypt." Ten other members of that group who are involved in the terrorist plot were caught in the governorates of Fayoum and Qalyubia at locations also containing ammunitions and other tools, which were uncovered by police. The ministry added that information confirmed the involvement of those elements in firing upon security forces on a road near Fayoum, 60 km (40 miles) south of Cairo, in July 2017. That attack resulted in the killing of one security member and the injury to another, the statement reads. "Information also revealed that those locked away Drop the heater, Studs, or you're hist'try! received training on using arms and manufacturing explosives at a location in Egypt's Western Desert in the Fayoum governorate, where plotters had listed a number of touristic and security spots in preparation for a planned Christmas attack, following the orders of a runaway Moslem Brüderbund figure in The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund.... ," the ministry added. In Turkey? How very interesting. The ministry announcement comes one day after a gunman killed several people in an attack on a church in Helwan, south of Cairo, before being shot and captured by police. Friday's attacker in Helwan attempted to drive through security forces outside the Mar Mina church armed with a machine gun, ammunition and a bomb that he intended to detonate in the church. The ministry said he killed two people when he opened fire on a shop, before heading to the church where he rubbed out seven people, including a policeman.

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Africa North

Day 2: Islamic State claims deadly attack on Egypt church

2017-12-30

More on this story from yesterday. [IsraelTimes] Gunman's shooting spree at Coptic house of worship leaves at least 9 dead south of Cairo, in latest assault on nation's Christians The Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... terror group grabbed credit for an attack Friday on a church south of Cairo that left at least nine people dead. A "security detachment" carried out the attack on the Saint Mina Coptic church in the district of Helwan, IS said in a statement via its propaganda agency Amaq. The attack was carried out by a gunman on a cycle of violence who opened fire outside the church and at a nearby store, sparking a shootout that killed at least nine people, including eight Coptic Christians, Egyptian authorities said. It was the latest attack targeting the country’s embattled Christian minority. The gunman was also killed, along with at least one police officer, officials said. The attack began when the gunman tried to break through the security cordon outside the Coptic Church of Mar Mina. It was not clear how many assailants were involved. Egypt’s Interior Ministry referred to only one, but the Coptic Orthodox church mentioned "button men." Five people were maimed, including another police officer, Health Ministry front man Khaled Megahed said. The attack came amid tightened security around churches and Christian facilities ahead of the Coptic Orthodox Christian celebrations of Christmas on January 7. Police have been stationed outside churches and in nearby streets across Cairo. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has personally chaired meetings with his top security chiefs in recent days to discuss security during New Year’s Eve and the Orthodox Christmas. A video circulating on social media after Friday’s attack apparently showed the gunman lying on the ground with his face covered in blood. Authorities closed off the area around the church. The Interior Ministry identified the assailant as Ibrahim Ismail Mostafa, who, the agency said, was involved in several previous attacks. A known wolf, then? The Interior Ministry said he was maimed and incarcerated Into the paddy wagon wit' yez! but made no mention of his death, which was reported by the Health Ministry. The assailant had earlier shot up the nearby store owned by a Christian, the Interior Ministry said. Samir Gerges, a witness to Friday’s church attack, said people inside the church closed the gates when the shooting began but that some bullets penetrated the building. Gerges said he was walking along a nearby street when the gunfire broke out. He saw people running and some taking cover in a nearby restaurant. Another witness, 40-year-old Raouth Atta, was praying inside the church when the violence broke out. "People were terrified and wanted to check on their families in other buildings of the church," she told The News Agency that Dare Not be Named by phone. "We stayed inside for 30 minutes before we were able to get out." Once she was able to leave, Atta said, she saw blood everywhere. "We kept praying," said the Rev. Boules, who was teaching a class in the church complex. On hearing gunfire, he went to check on his students, who were panicking and terrified. Since December 2016, Egypt’s Copts have been targeted by the terrorists, who waged a series of attacks that left more than 100 dead and scores maimed. The country has been under a state of emergency since April after suicide kabooms struck two Coptic Christian churches on Palm Sunday. The IS affiliate has grabbed credit for all the bombings targeting Christians.

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Africa North

Updated: Gunmen open fire at Coptic Christian church near Cairo, 9 Dead

2017-12-29

[10News] Nine people have been killed after gunmen opened fire at a Coptic Christian church near the Egyptian capital of Cairo, the Health Ministry told CNN. One of the attackers was also killed by Egyptian security forces, said ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed. The assault was carried out at the St. Mina Coptic church in Helwan, a district on the southern edge of the Egyptian capital. It was not immediately clear who the attackers were or how many were involved. Among the nine killed were eight Christians and a police officer, who was Muslim. Five others have been injured, including two in critical condition, according to the Health Ministry. A security cordon has been put up at the scene and senior officials have arrived at the site. Images from the scene show blood stains on the outside of the building. Update from Al Ahram at 11:30 a.m. ET (marked as their third update since the story broke, so there may be future updates at this link): Two unidentified gunmen killed nine people as they opened fire early Friday on a church south of Cairo, ahead of Coptic Christian celebrations next week, Egypt's state TV and health ministry said. Security forces shot dead one of the assailants in an exchange of fire outside the church of Mar Mina in Helwan district while the other assailant has been captured, state TV and state news agency MENA said. Health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed told state television that nine people — including a Muslim and eight Christians — had been killed, in addition to the gunman, and five injured. Those wounded include two women in critical condition, he added. State TV aired footage of the assailant's body, showing a bearded man wearing an explosive vest lying on the ground as crowds gathered. The interior ministry said in a statement in the afternoon that it arrested an attacker on a motorcycle who attempted to drive through security forces outside the church armed with a machinegun, ammunition and a bomb that he intended to detonate in the church. The ministry said he killed two people when he opened fire on a shop before heading to the church where he shot dead seven people, including a policeman. The arrested attacker is an active terrorist who has carried out a number of terrorist attacks targeting police and civilians, the statement added.

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