CAIRO: On Saturday, a Christian man accused of insulting Islam by posting a clip of the anti-Islam film that provoked anti-American protests in Egypt and across the region, entered a hunger strike to protest his arrest and treatment, his family said. They also added that prison guards in the country had told other prisoners of his charges, which led to an attack with a razor blade, slashing his neck. His family fears for his life. An angry mob of Egyptians gathered around Alber Saber's home on Thursday evening, attacking the building and demanding the man be put to death for his beliefs. Police arrived as the mob grew in size, but instead of dispersing the crowd, the Christian man, Alber Saber, was subsequently arrested. His charge? He was accused of being an atheist and posting the anti-Islam video on the Egyptian Atheist's Facebook page. The mob also accused him of disseminating the anti-Islam “film" that has created massive unrest among Muslims in the Islamic world. Saber has since been held by police pending an investigation. An online Facebook page in solidarity with the man has been created and accuses the police of torturing him during initial interrogations. “The Egyptian police protects violence and vandalism, and arrests the activist Alber Saber from his house after his house was besieged by some people who threatened to burn it," read a statement published on the Free Alber Saber page. In a video posted on YouTube, the angry mob is seen demanding Saber be apprehended. Hundreds of angry protesters had gathered before police arrived. As Saber was hauled to the police van, insults were heard being hurled at the man, with many calling for his death due to him being an infidel. “I don't want to live in a country that arrests people for being atheists," one Egyptian journalist told Bikyamasr.com. “An angry mob is attacking a man and police arrest the man and not the mob? That isn't right." According to the Facebook page, Saber has no lawyer and is being detained for 15 days by police as an investigation takes place. A press conference to discuss his situation was held on Saturday evening and supporters of Saber have called for solidarity and media coverage of his case. It comes on the heels of massive protests and clashes in Egypt that began Tuesday when protesters took down the American flag at the US Embassy in Cairo. Clashes then erupted on Wednesday evening and although calm has returned to downtown Cairo near the embassy, there are growing fears that Christians and secularists could be attacked similarly to Saber for their beliefs.
