Christianity crackdown: Horror as ‘man with sharp tool’ attacks prayer service – ‘Awful’

According to Egyptian Sunday newspaper Watani, based in Cairo, and human rights NGO International Christian Concern (ICC), two people were injured in the violence, which is the latest in a string of anti-Christian attacks.

ICC said a 22-year-old man injured two Christians who were attending the Church of St George in the Egyptian capital.

The man is said to have been shouting Islamic slogans before police rushed to the scene and arrested him.

ICC said local Christians have criticised the Egyptian authorities explanation that the man carried out the attack because of mental health problems and drug use.

They say the claim is “an attempt to hide Islamic extremism” in Egypt.

The man reportedly entered the church through a side room in which clergy baked bread for use in services.

He struck a baker on the head with an iron rod while shouting “Allah is great”.

When another Christian tried to help, he was also injured.

Ehad, a Christian worshipper in Egypt, told ICC: “The media uses words which don’t reveal the truth.

“Now we have discovered that this was a young man, not an old one.

“Also, he was holding a Koran and sharp tool, injuring some people on their heads.

“The media’s role is to reveal the reality and not to hide information to make the Coptic Christians calm down.”

Majeed, another local Christian told ICC: “It’s too awful.

“I can’t imagine that we should adapt to these incidents.

“Lies and lies and lies, I’m sure that this criminal will not be punished.”

Coptic Christians are facing increased persecution in predominately Muslim Egypt.

Coptics are Orthodox Christians led by the Coptic Pope, Tawadros II, and claim their faith dates back to AD50.

There are an estimated 22million members worldwide, 18 million of which are in Egypt.

The Egyptian government has long been criticised for failing to investigate thoroughly and prosecute those responsible for persecuting Coptic Christians.

At the beginning of this month, seven Christian pilgrims were gunned down by attackers as they headed to a monastery.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on two buses near the Monastery of St Samuel the Confessor in Minya which also left seven others, including children, wounded.

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager, said of the latest attack: “Thankfully, no one was seriously injured during the violent intrusion of St George’s Church, and the police responded quickly.

“However, we cannot forget the context of the attack.

“It is not unusual for the Egyptian authorities to claim that something other than Islamic extremism drives the less publicised incidents of persecution.

“The situation surrounding Egypt’s Christians will not improve unless there is honesty in confronting why these kinds of incidents happen.

“We must continue to keep Egypt’s Christians in our prayers.”