ICC Note:
On September 11, an Egyptian court began the trial of a suspected Muslim militant man accused killing a Christian priest, Simon Shehata. A nearby camera showed a video of a suspect chasing the priest and stabbing him in the suburban Cairo area. The suspect pleaded guilty but he did not provide any motive for killing a priest. In the recent months, Muslim militants have increasingly been targeting Egyptian Christian minorities with a series deadly attacks.
11/13/2017 Tunisia (Gulf News) – An Egyptian court on Saturday began a trial of a suspected Muslim militant charged with murdering a Christian cleric last month in Cairo.
The defendant, identified as Ahmad Saeed, was accused of stabbing priest Simon Shehata with a knife as the clergyman was leaving his car in the suburban Cairo area of Al Salam. Footage of a surveillance camera in a nearby store showed the suspect chasing the cleric as he tried to escape and fatally stabbing him in the stomach and the head.
The suspect was later arrested. He confessed to the attack, but provided no motive.
Following a brief procedural session on Saturday, the Cairo Criminal Court postponed the trial until Wednesday, legal sources said.
The defendant did not show up at the trial, prompting its adjournment, the sources added.
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