Egypt Charges Three Soldiers with ’Manslaughter’ in the Maspero Massacre

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

CAIRO, EGYPT (ANS) -- Egypt’s Supreme Military Court yesterday (Dec. 27), started procedures in the trial of three soldiers on charges of "manslaughter" of 14 Christian Copts during the Maspero Massacre which took place in front of the radio and television Building in Maspero on October 9.

Mary Abdelmassih, writing for the Assyrian International News Agency (AINA) www.aina.org , says that according to the indictment, the list of defendants were limited to three soldiers from the military police, who were charged with manslaughter, which under the penal code carries penalties of imprisonment of not more than seven years.

A Copt who was run-over by an army armored vehicle

AINA reports the military prosecution accused the three soldiers of causing "through their mistakes caused by their neglect and lack of precaution" the death of 14 people from the crowds in front of the Radio and Television Union Building.

In its report, AINA stated: “The indictment went on to say that the drivers of vehicles and armored vehicles of the armed forces ‘drove randomly and did not match the condition of the road, which was full of protesters, leading to their collision with the victims.’"

On October 9, 27 Christians were killed, 14 crushed under the wheels of military armored vehicles and the rest by being fired at with live ammunition. Another 329 Christians were injured. According to witnesses and video footage, the protestors were chased by armored vehicles chased over the pavements (video) and were shot at by snipers placed in the TV building and over bridges overlooking the TV Building.

AINA explained the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), an independent NGO, said that the military justice took into account only those victims who were trampled under the wheels of the military armored vehicles and excluded those victims who were killed by live bullets, including the prominent Coptic political activist Mina Daniel, known from the January 25 Revolution.

AINA stated: “EIPR said the trial did not meet the minimum guarantees of seriousness and justice and is a continuation of the position of the military junta, which refused and still is refusing any recognition of its responsibility for this heinous crime which resulted in killing 28 protesters, mostly Copts.

“It (EIPR) also accused the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of (SCAF) continuing to seek the protection of members of the military police from criminal accountability by bringing the three soldiers before a military tribunal, even before the investigating judge assigned by the public prosecution has completed his investigation into the same incident.”

Hossam Bahgat, director of EIPR, who was honored this year by Human Rights Watch for upholding the personal freedoms of all Egyptians, said: "Nearly three months after the Maspero massacre, the junta decided to select 14 of the victims of the massacre who were crushed under the wheels of the military armored vehicles, in front of our eyes and on television, and then go on to consider them as ‘victims of negligent military drivers, as if they died in an ordinary accident.’"

Commenting on the indictment, Bahgat said: "How can the killing of 14 citizens be considered a manslaughter misdemeanor? What about Mina Daniel and the rest of the victims of the massacre who were killed by live bullets? And why has the military decided to quickly make this mock trial without waiting for the report of the investigating civilian judge of the massacre? How can we trust in the military justice? We see them making every effort to shield its members and its leaders from accountability."

According to the AINA report, observers say the main purpose of the military trial is to confirm the account of the massacre given by two members of the Military Council at the press conference which was held on October 12, during which they denied that the soldiers guarding the television building were armed, and instead accused the unarmed Coptic demonstrators of attacking the military police forces.

Observers also said that the drivers of the armored vehicles were confused and trampled over the demonstrators. To prove their point, the police randomly arrested 27 Copts from the streets, in addition to the prominent Muslim activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah, and accused them of inciting violence, the murder of one soldier, the theft of guns from the armed forces, and damaging private and public property during the October 9 Maspero Massacre, They were all released last week after being detained for 66 days.

Ahmed Hossam, a lawyer with EIPR believes that no justice will ever be received for the victims of Maspero, or victims of any of the other crime committed by the military against the Egyptians, as long as the provisions of Code of Military Justice stands as a barrier to the ability of the prosecutors to investigate with the military in cases referred to them.

AINA says activists have previously called for the need to amend these provisions to put an end to the impunity enjoyed by military of accountability to civil courts in crimes against civilians.

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** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

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Egyptian Government Report Absolves Army of Maspero Massacre of Coptic Christians

By Michael Ireland
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

CAIRO, EGYPT (ANS) -- The fact-finding commission of Egypt's National Council for Human Rights, NCHR, the official body which oversees human rights in the country, last Wednesday issued its report on the events of October 9, titled the "Maspero Massacre," where 27 Coptic Christian protesters were killed and over 329 more injured outside the State TV building in Maspero, Egypt.

According to Egyptian journalist Mary Abdelmassih, writing for AINA -- the Assyrian International News Agency(www.aina.org) -- the NCHR report drew angry responses from Copts and was blasted by NGOs and human rights activists as a white wash of the military's role in the Maspero Massacre.

"The report of the commission as it stands ensured that the army is absolved of any responsibility of firing ammunition," said Dr. Naguib Gabriel, head of the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organization EUHRO.

"NCHR provided evidence of innocence, in advance, for the army, without having the evidence to prove it."

In its report, AINA say some activists argued that the NCHR report is invalid since it was issued by a commission of National Council for Human Rights, formed by a decree from the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which is considered a subject of investigation in the Maspero incident.

AINA says the main controversy in the NCHR report was putting the blame of firing live ammunition on "unidentified" civilians who targeted both the peaceful protesters and the military police, asserting that no live ammunition was fired on the protesters by the military, as the army only fired blanks in the air to disperse the protesters.

"Those assailants could not be identified, but we described them as civilians because this is how they were dressed," said a member of the NCHR committee at the press conference on November 2.

EUHRO issued a statement rejecting these claims as they were not based on technical reports from the criminal lab and forensic medicine. EUHRO said in its statement "...how did the committee determine that the shooters of live ammunition were civilians without conducting an investigation in this matter, or were they military personnel in civilian clothes?"

Magdy Khalil, member of Coptic Solidarity International, an NGO representing Coptic activists from all continents, blasted the report in an article, pointing out its contradictions and the lack of answers to many vital questions. "It committed itself strictly to the framework set out by the SCAF press conference of October 13 and to the strategic objective of acquitting the military."

AINA says that in its own breakdown of the events, NCHR's report described the procession as peaceful, according to the consensus of witnesses, and protesters carried crosses of wood or plastic together with flags of Egypt and banners condemning the demolition of churches and demanding a unified law for building places of worship.

"However, in the next page of its 14-page report, NCHR says the demonstrators hurled stones at the military police at the beginning of the march," said Magdy Khalil, "and on page 3 it says that some of the demonstrators were carrying clubs, swords, and knives -- corroborating what was said at the SCAF press conference on October 13. In one part of the report it says that the demonstrators jumped on one of the army armored vehicles and set fire to it, while in another part, it says that the ‘unidentified civilians’ were the culprits."

AINA says in its report that Copts expected the Coptic Orthodox Church to criticize the report.

Bishop Bassanti of Helwan said: "I only care about what the report said, that the demonstrators did not carry weapons at all. I believe they should have been protected by the army instead of the army being their opponent." He added that all losses suffered by the demonstrators in these events are the responsibility of the state.

AINA went on to explain that although the report acknowledges that 12 Copts were run over and crushed under the wheels of armored vehicles, it asserts this was not deliberate, saying the armored vehicles were used to disperse the demonstrators, but because of their extremely high speed in the midst of the crowds, this led to the death of 12 citizens.

"The report does not clarify who is responsible and describes it as non-deliberate mistakes," said Khalil.

"The report criticized the performance of the Egyptian television coverage of events, calling it professional error, not crimes of incitement," says a statement by the Maspero Coptic Youth Union (MCYU), a Coptic activist group and organizers of the protest on October 9.

MCYU also criticized the use by the fact-finding committee of the term "unknown civilians" 

opening fire on the military police and civilian demonstrators, which it views as in attempt not to directly charge anybody in particular. They confirmed the presence of video footage which clearly shows the perpetrators of the attacks on Coptic demonstrators (this video shows army snipers hiding in the TV building).

MCYU called for an independent fact-finding committee to investigate the incident, away from the influence of military courts. They also demanded that the Information Minister and Egyptian State TV officials be made accountable for lying in their coverage of the incident, "which almost caused sectarian strife."

The NCHR report called for an immediate investigation by an independent civilian fact-finding committee, as well as the punishment of perpetrators.

AINA reports that Judge Amir Ramzi, member of the National Commission for Justice, said that the fact-finding report of the NCHR lacks investigative techniques, and got no cooperation from the authorities, however, some of its recommendations were reasonable.

According to El Wafd newspaper, Ramzi said that next week he will present a detailed report of the events of Maspero, supported by video and audio footage, to the Military Council, the Council of Ministers, and the fact-finding commission of the Ministry of Justice.

A fact-finding commission was formed by the Cabinet in the wake of the events, headed by its minister of Justice.

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** Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter

Egypt Randomly Arresting Copts for Maspero Massacre

By Michael Ireland
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

CAIRO, EGYPT (ANS) -- Egypt's Military Prosecutor decided on November 3 to continue the detention of 34 Coptic Christians for another 15 days, pending investigations on charges of inciting violence, carrying arms and insulting the armed forces during the October 9 Maspero Massacre, which claimed the lives of 27 Christians and injured 329. The court session was attended by more than twenty defense lawyers. The case was adjourned to November 18.


Egyptian journalist Mary Abdelmassih, writing for AINA -- the Assyrian International News Agencywww.aina.org  , says that according to defense lawyers, most of the detainees were arrested after October 9, and some were not even at the Maspero protest and were just collected from the streets for "being a Christian."


According to AINA, three of them were teens under 16 years old and another had an operation to extract a bullet from his jaw and was chained to his bed in hospital, said defense lawyer Ibrahim Edward. "After the operation he was sent straight to prison where he cannot eat without feeding tubes, so he lives on juices."


AINA says prominent activist Alaa Abdel-Fatah, who criticized the army for the Maspero Massacre, was arrested on October 30, charged with inciting violence, seizing military equipment, and vandalizing military property. He refused to answer questions from the military prosecutors "in a case where the military is accused of committing a massacre when their APCs ran over peaceful protesters in front of Maspero on Oct. 9," his lawyer Ahmed Seif Al-Islam, former director of the Hisham Mubarak Law Center, is quoted as saying.


AINA states that Abdel-Fatah also played a big role in convincing the families of the Maspero Coptic victims to agree to have the bodies of their relatives autopsied in order to have proof that the military caused their death.


AINA reports that two days ago, Mikhail Naguib, a Copt, was arrested at his home by the military and accused of stealing a machine gun and using it to kill Copts in Maspero on October 9.


According to the AINA report, the military prosecutors claimed that the gun, a type used by the army, was stolen from one of the APCs at Maspero. The army said that a taxi driver who brought Naguib on that night from Maspero to his home in the run-down area of Sharabia witnessed that he had a gun bundled in a plastic bag with him.


In an interview aired on the "The Way" Christian TV, Michael's father said the army and police found nothing at home, and that they beat his son and took him away in his underwear.
AINA reports that Dr. Naguib Gabriel, head of the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organization, said that this latest arrest and these extremely serious accusations raises questions about the intentions of the army. He wondered about the evidence the military has regarding these charges, and whether with this arrest the real culprits will not be brought to justice.


Families of detainees appeared in an interview with Coptic Channel CTV and told how their sons and husbands were arrested, AINA said.


In its report, AINA says that Ms. Magda, mother of Mina Talaat, said that her son did not attend the Maspero protest but was arrested after the violence at 8:30 in one of the roads leading to Maspero. "Mina was stopped by a soldier, who called a group of 20 people to come quickly, as he had found a Christian. The group beat Mina with short leather batons until his jaw was broken and he had to hold it back with his hand. He also had wounds in the head requiring 12 stitches," she said.


According to the AINA report, Mina told his mother on her first visit that he hid under an armored personnel carrier, but was dragged out and taken to a room on the third floor of the TV building, together with other Copts, and they were beaten until 8 AM. He was then taken to el-Kobah Military Hospital where he was chained to his bed. She said that Mina had a large tattoo of the Virgin Mary on his arm and "the soldier was so angry about that he wanted to shoot him."


Ms. Mariam, wife of Mr. Amin Mouneer Ayad, who was at work and was dropped off by his company's bus near Maspero after 11:00, said that a soldier asked her husband if he was a Christian and saw the tattooed cross on his wrist, then took him away to a room all covered in blood. After taking his money and cell phone, the soldiers beat him until he lost consciousness. "I did not recognize him at hospital," said his wife. "His eyes were so swollen that when he cried no tears were flowing."


The Al-Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture said on its Facebook page that Mr. Amthal Mahmoud Abdel-Fattah, a Muslim arrested at Maspero by the military, was said by his mother to be mentally handicapped. Military prosecutors transferred him to Abbassiya mental hospital, which decided to keep him "until he comes back to his senses," as per the hospital report.


"To arrest the victims and not the assailants shows the extent of persecution and humiliation the Copts are experiencing," said Medhat Kelada, head of the Union of Coptic Organizations in Europe. "If there is any justice, the military prosecution should instead investigate the crimes committed by the military police."


AINA also reported that a list of suspects to be questioned by the military prosecutors with regards to the Maspero violence was published by the media, which included clergy, in addition to political movements like the Maspero Coptic Youth Union, Copts Without Borders and April 6. It also included the deceased Coptic protester Mina Danial, known from the January 25 Tahrir protests, who died in the Maspero Massacre from gun shots.


AINA further reported that Father Filopateer was interrogated by the prosecution on October 26 and he completely refused to cooperate with the military investigation because he is a civilian, and because it is biased and is part of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), with whom "…we are direct opponents in this case. I accused the SCAF, Field Marshal Tantawi and Brigadier Badeen, head of military police of being directly responsible for the Maspero Massacre." He said that the SCAF was fishing for incriminating evidence.


AINA also said Father Mattias Nasr went to the military prosecutor on October 20. He said that he did not expect to be accused, wondering how can a victim become a culprit? He described the investigations as a sort counterbalance to what was unveiled in the conference held on October 20 by the Maspero Coptic Youth Union. The conference accused the military of murdering the demonstrators through video footage and witnesses.


Human Rights groups have criticized the ongoing arrests, denounced military trials for civilians, and called for the transfer of the investigation of the case from military to civilian prosecutors.
Joe Stork, Deputy Middle East director of Human Rights Watch, said "The military cannot investigate itself with any credibility. This had been an essentially peaceful protest until the military used excessive force and military vehicles ran over protesters. The only hope for justice for the victims is an independent civilian-led investigation that the army fully cooperates with and cannot control and that leads to the prosecution of those responsible."


Activist Mark Ebeid, who attended the Maspero protest, said: "They are arresting Christians and levying accusation at them, most of which are really absurd, in an attempt to implicate them in the killings," adding: "The Junta is trying to justify the impossible, which is putting the blame on someone else. We all witnessed the killings with our own eyes on that bloody Sunday."

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** Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter

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