ICC Note: Another Coptic man was found with his throat slashed in Upper Egypt making him the fourth such victim in 10 days. According to his brother, nothing was stolen from the house including $2100 USD and his wife’s expensive jewelry leading the family to believe he was killed for his faith.

01/18/2017 Egypt (WWM): A Coptic surgeon was found murdered in his flat on Friday (13 Jan) in Upper Egypt, making him the fourth Coptic Christian murder victim in 10 days.

Married father-of-two Bassam Safwat Atta, 35, who lived in Dairut City in Asyut Governorate, had a single gash in his neck and was lying face down drenched in blood, according to a neighbour who found him.

The neighbour, Mokhles Nageh, who forced entry into the flat at the request of Dr. Atta’s wife, told World Watch Monitor that the doctor’s mobile phone and keys were beside him on the ground, along with a blood-stained knife.

Mr. Nageh, who is also a Copt, added: “There wasn’t any sign of violent struggle in the apartment. Everything was in its place and nothing was missing, including money and Bassam’s wife’s jewellery.”

A cousin of the deceased, who did not wish to be named, said there were 40,000 Egyptian pounds (US $2,100) in the flat.

Youssef Lamei was murdered in Alexandria on 3 January by an alleged “professional” killer after being threatened by Salafist Muslims.

Then on 6 January, when Copts celebrate Christmas, a Coptic couple, Gamal Sami, 60 and his wife, Nadia, 48, were found in bed, their throats having been cut.

According to Nadia Sami’s brother, no valuables had been taken from their home and they had been killed because of their faith. Although the police are keen not to label the incidents as sectarian and claimed the couple had died in a robbery, Copts have been terrified by the nature of the killings and believe the victims were singled out because of their faith.

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