CAIRO: Police say Muslims have hurled stones at Christian-owned shops in Alexandria in retaliation for the murder of a Muslim man by three Christian brothers who have already been arrested.
A police official says the crowd attacked the shops as they gathered near a mosque Sunday to bury Ahmed Abdel Razzek Gomaa, who was stabbed by his Christian neighbors a day earlier in Karmuz, in the eastern district of Alexandria.
According to an eyewitness who was interviewed by telephone on satellite channel Al-Mehwar s talk show 90 Minutes Sunday night, the three brothers had premeditated Gomaa s killing on the street with the help of their two sisters.
He said that the dispute was triggered by Gomaa s refusal to evacuate his apartment which is in the brothers building.
Alexandria Governor Adel Labib was interviewed over the phone on the same show, but played down the sectarian element of the conflict, saying that this was a regular fight between neighbors that ended tragically.
Dozens of Muslims gathered after Gomaa s funeral to hurl stones at shops owned by Coptic Christians and at police who tried to intervene.
No casualties were reported. Ten people from both communities were rounded up and an investigation opened into Gomaa s killing. -Daily News Egypt and agencies.
