Roots of Egyptian Violence in Lack of Freedom

(12 Jan 10 - RV) Four days after a deadly attack on a church in an upper Egyptian town, police are keeping a high profile in Naja Hamad and its surroundings, rocked by violent rioting in the aftermath of the killing of six Coptic Christians.




Egypt's Chief Prosecutor has ordered that three local Muslim men be kept in police custody for 15 days on charges of attacking a crowd of church-goers with machine guns following a midnight Mass to mark the Orthodox Coptic Christmas on January 6.


Father Gabriel Quicke, who deals with oriental orthodox churches in the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, spoke to us about the situation for Christians in Egypt and the atmosphere following the attack: