An angry mob led by Salafist sheikhs torched and attacked houses of Shias in the small village of Zawyat Abu Muslam in Giza governorate Sunday afternoon, killing four citizens including a prominent shia figure.The Shiites and Sunnis are on the verge of civil war in Lebanon and Egypt and already there to an extent in Syria.
Not less than 3000 angry locals attacked houses of Shias in the village Sunday afternoon after weeks of incitement by Salafist preachers, according to eyewitnesses.
Five houses were set on fire during the attack. Police are evacuating the rest of Shiite homes in the village.
"For three weeks the Salafist sheikhs in the village have been attacking the Shias and accusing them of being infidels and spreading debauchery," Hazem Barakat, an eyewitness and photojournalist, told Ahram Online.
Barakat, who reported the incident live on Twitter, took photos and videos showing one of the Shias began dragged in the street after being beaten. "I saw several Shias stabbed several times while they were being dragged in some sort of public lynching," said Barakat.
At least four have been killed according to the head of the Giza security directorate. According to eyewitnesses, there are not less than 30 badly injured Shias who have been transferred to hospital.
The death toll included 66-year-old Hassan Shehata, a prominent Shia figure who was jailed twice under former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak for "contempt of religion."
The police force came late according to eyewitnesses and did nothing to stop the attack and public lynching. "They were just watching the public lynching like anyone else and did not stop anything," said Barakat.
If only those damn Israelis would stop building houses for their families in Judea and Samaria, there would be peace.