Christian Shop Owner Shot in Libya

ICC Note: An Egyptian shopkeeper working in Libya was shot on Sunday morning after being identified as a Christian. The status of the man is still unclear after he was taken to the hospital. This is the second significant event in the past week targeting Egyptian Christians in Libya. While the country is facing an ongoing battle with extremists groups, Christians are being singled out on the basis of their religious identity.
03/03/2014 Libya (MidEast Christian News) – The brother of an Egyptian Coptic Christian shot and injured in Libya Sunday morning has described the details of the incident to MCN. 
Karam Fawzy Tobia, 27, of Sheikh Talat village in Samalot, Minya (Upper Egypt), told MCN that his brother Salama Fawzy, 22, was shot in Libya Sunday morning. Salama owns a grocery shop in the Almajora area of Benghazi, and while he was in the shop with his brothers Moussa and Milad, gunmen opened fire on him upon learning he was a Christian, according to Tobia. Tobia said Salama was seriously injured and taken to the hospital.
“A group of terrorist elements target Christians in Libya and my brother was targeted,” Tobia told MCN. “While he was in his shop yesterday with [our] two brothers, a bearded man broke into the shop and swore at them with the worst words. The bearded man also swore at Christianity without reasons. Then, he shot my brother several times randomly and intensively.”
Tobia said he knew his brother was not killed, but was seriously injured and taken to the intensive care unit at the hospital. He added, however, that he is not sure of the reality of his brother’s condition or if he is truly alive or dead.
Tobia said one of his brothers had notified him earlier that a group called Ansar al-Sharia in Libya attacked Christian workers’ houses, threatened them and hit them. They also use knives and firearms and impose royalties on Christians and if Christians refuse to pay, they acquire their money forcibly, said Tobia. They also asked the Copts to leaving Libya permanently. Tobia said he expected Ansar al-Sharia was the responsible for the attack on his brother.
…
[Full Story]