Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Minya (Agenzia Fides) – In Upper Egypt, systematic kidnapping of persons belonging to the Copt Christian community has become a criminal business: according to information given to the local media by Copt Christian Mina Thabet a member of Maspero Youth Union and founder of the Peoples Party, in the Minya governorate alone. the amount of money paid for the release of kidnapped Christians since January 2011 – when in Egypt there began the so-called “Arab Spring ” which was to lead to the fall of the regime of Hosni Mubarak – is now more than 120 million Egyptian pounds. Equal to 16 million Euro.
It is the opinion of the Egyptian activist, that these bands which attack Copt Christians find cover even from the bureaucratic apparatus meant to guarantee social security. Diffused corruption explains at least in part the scarce capacity of police reaction to this criminal activity.
“Unfortunately – Fides was told by Copt Catholic Bishop Anba Kyrillos William of Assiut – the phenomenon continues and there appears to be no improvement. Police intervention, such as that in the region of Assiut earlier this year in February, is sporadic and fail to solve the problem”. At present there is concern for the safety of a Copt Christian, father of three children, taken hostage in the area of Minya, whose family has so far not been able to put together the sum of money requested by the kidnappers. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 9/12/2014).
