The Kidnapping of Young Coptic Christians for Forcible Conversion to Islam in Egypt

By PAUL AMEEN

Young Christian males and females are being kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam. It is suspected that videotaped sexual abuse is taking place to shame the victims. Egyptian society is an honor vs. shame-based culture and victims worry about the effects of shaming their families. It is also believed that those who are abducted are silenced by threats to family members. Victims are brought to "religious guidance committee" meetings for the purposes of "reviewing" their cases. These meetings are often held in a National Security Police headquarters, which is against the law.

The following is a confirmed report of one such case that occurred last month in Alexandria:

Victim: Neveen Maher Albert Morcos 19 years of age - ALEXANDRIA

Address: 9, Hamed Nasr St., Camp Shizar, Alexandria, Egypt

Information Sources by way of interview: Ms Suzanne Maher Albert Morcos (Elder Sister), Mr Sabry Maher Albert Morcos (Elder Brother), Mr Maher Albert Morcos (Father), Fr. Mikhail Ibrahim - The Priest of St Mary & St Moses, El Manshiah, Alexandria.

Evidence: Medical Certificates, letters to officials & Video interviews in CD format.

Neveen is a student at the tourism and hotels college at Alexandria. She works with her sister as a salesperson at Carrefour department store near Alexandria. Neveen did not interact much with others at work. Neveen practised her Christianity actively and regularly attended church services at St Demiana Church, El Wardian, Alexandria.

Neveen would regularly visit her confession father, Fr Thomas. The victim suffers from low blood pressure and hormonal deficiencies, which resulted in loss of consciousness. Her family describes Neveen as a sensitive person. Neveen was planning to be a nun prior to her kidnapping.

The victims elder sister Susan, said that Neveen returned on the 13/2/2005 from a retreat to St Demiana's monastery in Damyat. Neveen surprised her family when she told them of her intention to become a nun and that she has chosen "Christ" as her groom, meaning that she wants to dedicate the rest of her life in solitude and prayer at the convent. The family asked Neveen not to rush into making such a decision as her family needs her to be around.

On the 14/2/2005 at approximately 12:00, she wanted to go to Damanhour to see her confession father, as he was not in Alexandria. Neveen came back home to take her mothers permission before departing to Damanhour. Neveen did not return that evening.

The family phoned her confession Father, Fr. Thomas who confirmed that she did not go to see him. Many retreat houses where checked in Damanhour and St Demiana's convent at Damyat, the result in vain.

The family then filed a report of disappearance at the local police station and the State Security office through her brother 'Sabry'. The officer named Essam Shawky, told Sabry "We don't have any clue about her whereabouts, but I will do my best to find her dead or alive so that we can alleviate your suffering". The family called the officer several times, though each time he would respond ' we are still searching for her'.

After 8 days, the State Security Service informed a Priest named Fr. Armia in Alexandria that Neveen has decided to convert to Islam. Fr. Armia notified the family and Neveen's confession father (Fr Thomas) and Fr. Mikhail who is a priest at St Mary's and St Moses in El-Manshiah' to participate in a 'religious guidance' session on 28/02/2005.

Father Thomas and Father Michael attended the session and the reverend fathers were convinced that Neveen was under intense pressure and/or drugged. The reverend fathers came to this conclusion because it was obvious from the way Neveen was responding to their
questions.

When the Priests questioned Neveen the following observations were made:

The family were not given permission to attend the 'religious guidance' session. Fr. Mikhail was the first to arrive at the session. As soon as Neveen went into the room to meet Fr.Thomas, she found Fr. Mikhail and took her chair and sat at a distance saying; ' I have been warned about you in particular' (Fr. Mikhail was an ex-high-ranked general in the police force) and she continued to say that she met with many high officials that she never dreamed to sit with (This raises suspicion that they are going out of their way to ensure that she converts).

When Fr. Thomas joined the session with Fr. Mikhail, he asked Neveen if she has an I.D. card. When Neveen said she didn't have one, Fr. Mikhail requested that the session be postponed until the I.D. is produced, though the policeman named 'Abdel Raheem' left the room and later produced a 'paper I.D.' which is no longer valid in Egypt as all I.D. cards are now computerised. The I.D. was in her Christian name and issued 15/2/2005 one day after her disappearance.

I.D. cards in Egypt normally take 3 weeks to be issued and the signature of the father is required.

At times, Neveen would respond to a certain question 10 minutes later e.g., when Neveen would pause for a long time after being asked a question, the Priests would continue and ask her another question, to which she would reply to the answer to the first question. Neveen would repeat certain sentences in her answers, e.g. she would say 'I am convinced of my decision, and it's none of your business'. The Priests believe that she was pressured into repeating this answer.

When Neveen was asked 'why do you want to convert to Islam'? Her response was 'lets not talk about religion' although she accepted that the Priests anoint her with holy oil. When Neveen's family was mentioned by the priests, Neveen was frightened and anxious and her voice would become louder and she would plead with the priests 'please do not mention my family here, and in particular do not mention my sister Susan's name here'.

The 'religious guidance session' was held at the National Security headquarters in Alexandria and not in a neutral place as required by law. When the Priest's asked about her decision to abandon her faith in Jesus Christ, she would become silent, embarrassed and bow her head. During the abovementioned session, Neveen assured the priests that she is not involved in any relationship with any Muslim man. The 'religious guidance' session ended, though the Priests requested another session.

A second session was scheduled on 10/3/2005. This time, the family was permitted to enter the building but they were forced into a room on their own, far from the 'religious guidance' session room. When Susan (Neveen's sister) and her mother arrived at the state security headquarters, the guard questioned her 'why are you here'? Whilst he was walking with her, she responded ' I am attending the religious guidance session '. He replied 'are you here for Neveen? She is not coming today'. Therefore, the guard knew beforehand that Neveen was not attending. However, the guard took Susan to an officer named Khaled Ajamy who treated her badly and abused her by saying 'if you brought your family, your streets and everyone you know you will not be able totouch her even though there may be a few inches between you. Susan responded, 'I am not here to harm my sister, though I am here to see her'. The officer then made some offensive remarks to another officer indirectly targeting Susan, e.g.'if only there was a belly dancer here between 12pm and 1pm we would have a very good time'. These comments were made in the presence of Susan. Such comments are considered offensive and not acceptable in Egyptian society in the presence of a female and her mother.

Susan waited for an hour, and then the officer told Susan; 'Neveen is late, therefore she's not coming'. The officer told Susan this information without making or receiving any phone calls or instructionsfrom outside, hence he knew that she was not going to be in attendance from the outset. The day ended without seeing Neveen and since then they didn't hear anything about Neveen. Susan and her mother returned home.

Neveen's mother later suffered a stroke as a result of her daughter's absence. Susan continued to pursue other ways to get access to her sister and spoke to the pope's secretary, Fr. Sharobim in Alexandria. Fr. Sharobim spoke to the head of security who said that he will try to arrange another session, but nothing eventuated.

Susan then went to the police headquarters and met with an officer named 'Ashraf Abdel Kadir' who promised to arrange an unofficial meeting between Susan and Neveen two days before the next session (if arranged). Fr. Thomas then warned Susan, that in the event that she meets Neveen to check her body and clothes (whilst hugging) to ensure that she is not 'wired' by the State Security Police, as in many cases the police spied on meetings between victims and priests or relatives. The meeting was not arranged.

Neveen's family then contacted 'Fadi Nabil's' family from Alexandria. Fadi Nabil is a young man 18 years of age, who was kidnapped and forced to convert under threat. The Two families agreed to hold a small demonstration outside St. Mark's Cathedral in Alexandria. Approximately 30 people attended this demonstration on the 21st March, 2005. Bishop Yoannis (The Pope's secretary, Cairo) and Fr. Sharobim took the two families inside their office and calmed them down and promised that they will solve the problem through the official channels. Again, nothing has eventuated till the date of this report.

COMMENTS: It is obvious from the above case that the police are cooperating with those who have taken Neveen. If the police and the state security were able to arrange the first 'religious guidance' session, then they know where she is and who is holding her in custody.

Despite many requests from the families, the police and state security always respond with 'we do not know anything about her'. Instead of helping the family locate their relative, they resort to abuse and threats.

The family has written several letters to the President, Interior minister, Pope Shenouda, the governor of Alexandria and the General Prosecutor. To date, no one has responded to their cries for help.

PAUL AMEEN

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