MINYA (AA) – A Coptic Christian priest emerged unhurt Monday following an alleged attempt on his life in Egypt's southern Minya province.
Father Macarius, bishop of Minya and Abu Qerqas, said that unidentified individuals had shot at his car as he travelled to a village south of Minya on Monday morning.
He said his driver had managed to escape the shooting, but that the car had sustained some damage.
The bishop added that the attackers had continued to pursue him, even after he had fled into the home of a Christian village resident.
He said his attackers had besieged and shot at the house for an entire hour, badly damaging its windows and walls.
"This is an attempt to terrorize Christian men of religion," Macarius told journalists afterward.
He said he had reported the attack to the local authorities, which, he added, had opened their own investigation into the incident.
Some Christians, particularly in Upper (southern) Egypt, have complained of repeated attacks, which they attribute to the widespread belief that Egypt's Christian community supported the July 3 ouster of president Mohamed Morsi by the country's military establishment.
Last week, a joint police/army force raided a village in central Minya with the stated aim of arresting several individuals accused of involvement in attacks on police stations and churches.
by Naglaa Fathi
englishnews@aa.com.tr
