By Abdel Rahman Youssef
ALEXANDRIA: Tens of protesters commemorated Friday the first anniversary of the death of a Salafi, who allegedly died as a result of torture at the hands of the disbanded state security apparatus.
Sayed Bilal was arrested after the bombing of Al-Qeddesine Church in Alexandria last year, that left 24 dead and dozens injured, as state security attempted to force him to confess that he plotted the bombing.
The protesters, led by Bilal’s brother Ibrahim, marched from Al-Qaed Ibrahim Mosque towards the Northern Military District, and included some Salafis who were arrested with Bilal in the same case.
They demanded the prosecution of Bilal’s killers.
Protesters chanted slogans accusing former interior minister Habib El-Adly of murder such as “Bilal was murdered and El-Adly is responsible,” “Revenge revenge, blood for blood and a bullet for a bullet.”
Copts also accuse state security and El-Adly of plotting to bomb the church and falsely accusing Bilal of planning the attack.
“The interior ministry has information that indicts El-Adly in the bombing but it still remains faithful to him and to the ousted regime,” lawyer of the victims Joseph Malak said, questioning the reluctance to move forward with the investigations in the case.
Malak added that he filed many complaints for a swift investigation, but to no avail.
Protesters said that the state security apparatus is still present and that the new Homeland Security is another front for it.
They raised banners reading “State Security =Homeland Security,” “Bilal’s blood will be an omen against state security,” chanting “no parties no coalitions, this march is for God.”
Ibrahim said not only is he demanding justice for his brother, he is also demanding justice for all of Egypt’s martyrs, adding “state security is not disbanded and Homeland Security is the other face of the coin”.
As the protesters accused El-Adly and state security of murdering Bilal in the morning, later that day Copts celebrated Christmas amid calls for revenge for Al-Qeddesine’s victims, accusing the former interior minister of murdering 24 Copts last year.
“The case of Sayed Bilal will be the key to solving the mystery surrounding the bombing of Al-Qeddesine Church,” the church Priest Makar Fawzy said.
