Policeman kills one Christian, injures 5 on train in Upper Egypt

[News_Editor]

Policeman kills one Christian, injures 5 on train in Upper Egypt

2011-01-13 09:51:28 GMT+7 (ICT)

CAIRO, EGYPT (BNO NEWS) -- A policeman on Tuesday shot at Christians on a train in Upper Egypt's Minya Governorate, killing one and injuring five others, the Egyptian Gazette reported on Wednesday.

Amer Ashour Abdel Zahir, 23, was unveiled on Wednesday as the off-duty police officer that killed a 71-year-old Coptic man and wounded five of his relatives. He will remain in custody for at least 15 days as the investigation is ongoing.

Authorities informed that Abdel Zahir boarded train number 979 from Assiut to Cairo on Tuesday. During the train stop in Samalut, he shot at a man and his five relatives. The policeman was arrested after the shooting at his residence and said he was not targeting Christians.

The Ministry of Interior also denied that the crime was religiously motivated and instead blamed the policeman's mental state, saying that Abdel Zahir was irritated and frustrated because he was short of money.

However, the crime was protested by demonstrators outside the Samalut hospital overnight. Hundreds of Christian Copts were dispersed by police forces and five people were injured.

The five protesters were transported by helicopter to the Nasser Medical Center in Cairo and two of them were reported to be in a critical condition.

The Egyptian Gazette reported that witnesses indicated that Abdel Zahir boarded the train and examined the passengers. He allegedly singled out a group of women who were not wearing Muslim clothing, according to the report.

Then, the suspect raised his gun and yelled "Allahu Akbar," an Islamic phrase that translates as "God is greater." These allegations have not been confirmed by Cairo police.

Two weeks ago, a suicide bomber killed 21 congregants outside an Alexandria church, sparking protests by Christians.

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