Two years ago, Dimiana Makram Hanna, a 23-year-old Christian woman in Egypt, was kidnapped, forcibly converted to Islam, and compelled to marry a Muslim.  She finally had enough of his abusive behaviour and ran away last month.  Local Muslims went on an anti-Christian rampage, destroying businesses and homes, and demanded the poor woman’s return.  Coptic Christians were beaten in the streets, and twenty Christian-owned shops and the village church were vandalised.

On Friday 20 June rioting erupted in Nazla as Muslim villagers went on a looting and destruction rampage against Copts’ homes, businesses, and cars following news that Dimiana—known as Dalia Mohamed since she converted—together with her 10-month baby Seif al-Islam, had run away from her husband a day earlier while on a visit to Cairo.

The rioting started on Friday afternoon when Muslims roaring Islamic slogans began to attack Copts’ houses and shops. Although local security officials had anticipated the rioting and called for extra forces from the neighbouring village to stop any attack, they could neither prevent the attack nor stop it once it started. They finally resorted to the use of tear gas to disband the rioters, and were able to control the main streets but not the side streets.

Even the village church and the priest’s home were attacked. The rampage lasted until the early hours of dawn of the following day. Security officials imposed a day-long curfew and attempted to hold a reconciliation meeting after they had found Dimiana and returned her to her husband. But the Copts refused to reconcile without the payment of indemnity for their lost and damaged property.

The mob of 4000 Muslims shouted “Kill the infidels” as they ran amok. Only 15 rioters were arrested, 11 of whom were quickly released by prosecutors.

It is common knowledge that Dimiana had fled a husband she did not wish to live with. She stayed away for some two days then, hearing of the riots in her village and the great harm inflicted upon the Copts, and that her uncles had been questioned by the police, she handed herself in on Friday evening.

Dimiana unexpectedly went missing from her home two years ago.  Her family was later informed that she had become a Muslim and been married to a Muslim and that they could have no further contact with her.

h/t: International Christian Concern

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