CAIRO: A Coptic Priest was found killed in his home in the Southern City of Assiut on Monday. Reverend Dawood Boutros had been dead for two days before relatives found him after failing to get in contact with him for two days. Following the announcement of his death, around 3,000 Copts protested in Assiut in front of the Priest`s house, chanting: “We sacrifice our life for the crucifix.” Police officials claimed that the priest's safe was found open and valuables missing indicating it was a violent theft, however Egypt`s leading government-run newspaper, Al-Ahram, said there is disagreement with the police`s version. Some claim that the murder was committed by State Security Personnel to counter calls that the State Security should be abolished and withdrawn. The victim was alone at his home when he was killed, in the village of Shotb, outside Assiut City. Security forces and the army were immediately deployed in the village to take precautionary measures to prevent any development of events that would lead to sectarian tensions. A source from the Coptic Church in Assiut said Boutros, pastor of the Church of Prince Tadros in Shotb village, had been stabbed in the neck. When his daughter, calling from Hurghada, was unable to reach him and he did not attend Mass on Sunday or Monday, his nephew broke the flat's door and found him dead, according to The Free Copts website. The Islamic group in Assiut, Gama`a Islamiya, a Salafist Group, issued a statement condemning the murder and called for restraint and not rushing to hurl accusations before the investigations take place. The group called upon everyone to stand together and to confront any targeting of any life or property of any Egyptian Muslim or Christian. It also called on all parties to be patient, calm, and reasonable, and not to rush to indict without evidence. BM
