The son of one of the victims of the Ascension Day bus attack that left at least 28 Coptic Christians dead has announced he wants to donate money to build a mosque and a church, reports Agenzia Fides.
Michael Atef Munir wants his share of the government money set aside for relatives of the victims – 100,000 Egyptian pounds (5,500 US dollars) – to be split equally between San Michele church in Fikriya and the mosque in Saft al-Labban, both in Minya, province
Munir’s father was killed on his way to a service at the Monastery of St. Samuel in Minya, southern Egypt on 26 May. The attackers were driving vehicles which, survivors said, displayed the Islamic State flag.
Munir made his announcement in early July at St. Samuel during a service for the victims. He said the gesture was to make it clear that the attempt to unleash clashes and divisions among Egyptian Copts and Muslims has had the opposite effect to what the terrorists wanted.
Meanwhile Professor Mounir Farag, an expert on the causes of conflict in the Middle East, said in Rome Reports that the more Christians in Egypt are attacked, the stronger their faith becomes, adding that the “marvellous” way victims – especially children – can forgive their attackers is a testimony to their faith.
Prof. Farag blamed the recent increase in deadly attacks on Christians on the ideology of certain groups of Muslims in the country like the Muslim Brotherhood. He added that many Muslims have been affected by political manipulation since childhood and have looked to the Quran, not for the peace and love seen in the older part written in Mecca, but for the ‘political’ aspect seen in the second part.