Recent killings in New Jersey are similar to murders
perpetrated by extremists in Egypt, where Coptic Christians have been bound, gagged and
had their throats slit by Radical Muslims.
The details surrounding the
murder of four Coptic Christians in New Jersey are so gruesome that even the defenders of
radical Muslims are getting fidgety. The Council on American-Islamic Relations went on
record asking police officials to investigate the possibility that the killings were
motivated by "bias."
"May God give comfort to the family and friends of the victims," said the
president of CAIR in New Jersey, Magdy Mahmoud. Despite CAIR's acknowledgment that bias
may have played a role in the killings, Coptic Christians, including relatives of the
victims, are expressing concern over the ability of law enforcement officials to
investigate fully any connections between Muslim extremism and the deaths of Hossam
Armanious, 47, his wife, Amal Garas, 37, and their two children, Sylvia, 15, and Monica.
Family members are loath to condemn Muslim extremists for the murders, but say that the
details of the killings are similar to murders perpetrated by extremists in Egypt,
where Coptic Christians have been bound, gagged and had their throats slit.
The preliminary causes of death are "stab wounds to the throat." The necks of
each of the victims were "slit" across the throat. Below the slit of the
parents' necks, three holes, about the size of the thumb, were "drilled" or
"twisted" into the lower part of their throats. The daughters had two similar
holes inflicted on their throats as well. These eyewitnesses say they have evidence of
this in photographs taken of the bodies. The photos are said to be gruesome.
A statement from the Hudson county prosecutor, said that evidence of robbery is present in
the case. It said that money was not found at the scene, that Armanious's pockets had been
turned out and his wallet was emptied. A pocketbook had been emptied, the statement said,
and drawers had been rifled in the home. The statement also said, however, that jewelry
was present in the apartment. A computer was recovered in the children's bedroom. No signs
of desecration of religious artifacts were found. No messages concerning religion were
left by the actors, the statement said.
CAIR agrees with police findings that robbery is one possible motive for the crime. The
group's Web site says: "Investigators are focusing on robbery as a possible motive
because no money or jewels were found in the home."
But the Coptic community remains skeptical. Anies Garas, whose daughter, Amal, was among
the victims, told me: "The police have vouchered all of the jewelry," he said.
"None of it was taken. In fact, my daughter was still wearing a ring worth
$3,500 after she was murdered." Mr. Garas says that though a small amount of
money was taken, no valuables were removed from the house.
When Michael Meunier, the president of the U.S. Copts Association, met with the prosecutor
he expressed serious concerns about the progress of the investigation. "The
prosecutor told me that robbery was no longer the focus and acknowledged that this was the
worst murder he has ever seen," Mr. Meunier said. "He told me he believes it was
a vengeful crime."
Many Copts fear that New Jersey officials are caving in to pressure from Islamic lobby
groups and the Egyptian government in order to "whitewash" this investigation.
One of them, Rafique Iscandar, told me that he is fearful that investigators will discount
the possibility that the murders were committed by radical Islamists who want to
intimidate Christians in the United States, as they do in Egypt.
Mr. Iscandar and Hossam Armanious met in 1982 at Luxor, Egypt, where the two worked
together in the construction business. They quickly became best friends. Mr. Iscandar even
lived with the Armanious family for a time. "We made a lot of money together,"
he said. "It was easy for Hossam to hire people for construction jobs. Everyone knew
and trusted him."
In 1985, Mr. Iscandar began complaining to the Egyptian authorities about the increased
oppression of Christians in Egypt. He says he spoke out about the forced conversions, the
kidnapping of Coptic women by terrorist groups, the beating of Christian women and men in
the streets, and the destruction of Christian properties and businesses, which he said he
often witnessed.
As he became more vocal about this, Mr. Iscandar said, he received numerous death threats
and was forced to go into hiding in 1987. He surfaced in Egypt for the last time in 1988
to attend his mother's funeral, where he met Armanious.
As Muslims began dominating Egyptian tourism, squeezing out Christian businessmen,
thousands of Coptic Christians fled Egypt because of a diminishing livelihood and the
escalating persecution. Armanious and his family also fled these conditions to
settle with Mr. Iscandar in Jersey City. He worked in Mr. Iscandar's convenience store for
about eight months.
"Hossam was one of the last people to support me before I fled for my life in
Egypt," Iscandar said sadly. "I was a hunted man there, but he gave me money and
helped me to disappear to the U.S. He gave me my life and now he is dead."
As the perpetrators of the Armanious murders roam free, members of the Coptic community
continue to live in fear of future attacks.
Fear in New Jersey By Maria Sliwa 2005 Edition > Section: Editorial and Opinion By
Maria Sliwa
Ms. Sliwa is a freelance journalist based in New Jersey and the publisher of Freedom Now
News, www.freeworldnow.com. |
