Mattai presecution after investigations conducted under the supervision of Counselor Osama Abdel Moneim, Attorney-General of the Northern District Prosecution, decided to release six suspects, extend the detention of one defendant for 15 days and continue the investigation with 39 rioters in the village of Menbal.
The incident goes back to 6 July when Ayad was arrested in the wake of a complaint filed with the police against him, claiming he has disdained Islam by posting a link on his Facebook page to an article that allegedly disdains Islam through a comparison between religions.
On 9 July, a mob of village Muslims attacked the Copts’ houses, shouting Allah Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) and hurling stones at the houses.
The attack came as collective punishment against the Copts, even though Mr Ayad was already under arrest, and the Church and local Coptic community had announced they were against disdain of religion. Yet Menbal’s fundamentalist Muslims succeeded in inciting the village Muslims against the Copts.
