
MEDIA ADVISORY, Nov. 24-- As of  Saturday, November 21, 2009 the Egyptian town of Farshoot, located 300 miles  south of Cairo, and the neighboring villages of Kom Ahmar, Shakiki and Ezbet  Waziri, have been the scenes of massive Muslim mob attacks against Coptic  Christian inhabitants. The mob looted, vandalized and burnt Coptic properties  estimated for six million Egyptian pounds (over one million dollars), while  Copts are still hiding indoors fearing for their lives. There are reports that  many Copts were attacked and injured. According to many eye witnesses, the mob  made wooden crosses and burnt them in the streets while shouting "Allah  Akbar."
Victims and eye witnesses said that nearly 3000 angry Muslims  have been damaging and looting at least 50 shops all owned by Christians,  including jewelry stores and pharmacies, over a claim that a 20 year old  Christian man, now in custody, had a relationship with a 12 year old Muslim  girl. Coptic priest Rev. Benjamin Noshi was attacked and is now hospitalized as  a result of a fracture in his skull. His car was damaged by the Muslim mob. By  the evening most Coptic businesses were looted and burnt and many Coptic  Christian families were thrown out of their homes by other Muslim  residents.
Farshout's Bishop, Kirollos, said the attacks were definitely  preplanned and suggested that the principal of an Islamic Institute in Farshoot  motivated his students to attack the Christians. He also pointed out to the  shameful role of the security forces, which disappeared without giving proper  justifications or making any arrests, despite several demands by the victims to  put an end to the organized attacks against the Copts.
In the early hours  of Monday, November 23, 2009 three additional Christian-owned businesses were  looted and burnt in the village of "Abu Shousha" located 15 miles away of  Farshout. New attacks were taking place Monday night in Al-Arky village seven  miles away.
It has become clear that the organized violence is spreading  out to more villages only to target the Christian lives and businesses while the  Police continue to watch. The last 90 days witnessed at least seven similar  attacks on Christian villages, where at least five Copts were killed, many  Coptic girls and women were abducted and forced to embrace Islam with the  assistance of the Egyptian authorities.
Coptic American Friendship  Association (CAFA) pleads to the American and International Rights Organizations  to demand the Egyptian government to take immediate measures to protect the  Christian lives and properties of the persecuted Copts in Farshout, Egypt (Copts  are about 18 million Christians - The largest Christian minority in the Middle  East).