The teenage daughter of a priest in the southern province of Sohag, some 460km south of Cairo, was yesterday stabbed in the neck by an unknown man as she crossed the street in front of Sohag bishopric. Eyewitnesses told Watani that the assailant grabbed the girl by her hair and pulled her head back in what appeared to be an attempt to cut her throat. Young men who were then present at the bishopric church of Mar-Girgis (St George) rushed to the rescue of the girl and were able to save her from her assailant, but he had already stabbed her between the neck and shoulder. She was swiftly moved to hospital. The young Copts caught the assailant and handed him over to the police. He is said to be one Muhammad T. E, 44-years old, and it is not known what his motive was by stabbing the girl, nor what he meant by what eyewitnesses heard him say to the men who rushed to the rescue: “I’ll kill you all”
This morning the Bishopric of Sohag issued a statement regarding assault. The statement read:
“On the evening of Saturday 2 July 2016, 15-year-old Lucia who is the daughter of Father Angaelos Murad was crossing the street in front of Sohag bishopric when she was assaulted by an unknown young man who attempted to kill her by stabbing her in the neck with a knife. The stab caused a grave injury before a number of young men were able to rescue her from the offender’s grip. They managed to catch him and handed him over to the police.
“Lucia was moved to the nearby al-Hilal Hospital, where the wound was stitched to stop the bleeding.”
Anba Bakhoum, Bishop of Sohag hastened to visit Lucia in hospital, as did Governor of Sohag, Ayman Abdel-Moniem; General Ahmed Abul-Futouh, head of Sohag security, and a number of security figures.
Sheikh Abbass Shouman, deputy of al-Azhar, contacted Anba Bakhoum by telephone to condemn the attack and express wishes that God may protect all Egyptians.
Watani International
3 July 2016