(AFP File Photo)
Banha Criminal Court on Saturday found guilty the main defendant in the Al-Khosous sectarian clashes, Hany Farouk Awad, handing him a life sentence and a fine of EGP 15,000.
State-owned Al-Ahram reported that Naguib Samir and Eskander Samir each received 15 years in prison, while four other defendants received five year verdicts.
Three defendants received three year verdicts, three others received six-month verdicts and 32 were acquitted.
The guilty were charged with murder, attempted murder, thuggery and the possession of illegal weapons.
The incidents of sectarian violence in the northern Cairo village of Al-Khosous date back to 5 April when a brawl led to a Christian killing a Muslim, spurring some Muslim residents to take retributive action against him and other Christians by attempting to burn down the alleged killer’s house and attacking the local church. The clashes left seven dead and 22 injured.
Clashes were re-ignited at the funeral of the deceased Christians in St Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasiya, leading to one death.
Mourners leaving St Mark’s Cathedral were attacked by an unidentified man on 7 April following the funeral. After leaving the cathedral, people were met with rock-throwing and eyewitnesses claimed to have heard gunshots.
