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| Africa North |
| Khosous sectarian violence case adjourned to 21 September |
| 2013-08-25 |
| [Al Ahram] The trial of 33 accused of involvement in sectarian violence that took place in Qalioubiya's Khosous last April was adjourned on Saturday until 21 September. The case was postponed due to security forces' inability to transport the accused from prison to court within Egypt's current period of unrest, following the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi. The 33 on trial are facing accusations of involvement in sectarian festivities which left 6 dead and 22 injured. The violence broke out last April after a group of children allegedly painted a swastika on the wall of a prominent Islamic religious institute. Some Al-Khosous residents claimed the children were Christian, yet news sources maintain they were Mohammedan. All witnesses agree, however, that the swastika -- a popular symbol to scribble on walls -- was likely mistaken for a Christian cross. In the ensuing violence, which raged for hours, guns were fired and shops and buildings set ablaze, leading to the death of four Christians and one Mohammedan. The total corpse count increased to six after another Mohammedan died in hospital days later. |
| Posted by:Fred |