The US Copt Association, founded in 1996, established local chapters nationwide, developing an Arabic-English daily digest for thousands of readers, arranging speaking tours enabling their Board of Directors to educate media, political and enforcement representatives on “critical matters affecting the Coptic community” and motivated “interventions concerning the Christian minority in Egypt.”  At the 59th session of the

United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Meunier, its president, testified 11 to 13 million Copts in Egypt had been forced to live under dhimmi, inferior non-Muslim status, and pay an annual jizia, punitive tax, to practice their faith where the Egyptian Constitution says “Islam is the religion of the state” and “Shariah, Islamic Jurisprudence, the principal source of legislation.” Meunier’s Board takes credit for exposing deteriorating Copts human rights conditions within Egypt . Meunier says his visits to the Capital prompted Congressional member letters written to Egypt ’s President Mubarak demanding Coptic victims receive funds to compensate for loss of income and life from Islamic violence.  Meunier says “crucial language in the appropriation bill directing US funding to Egypt ,” and influence in “legislation such as the Freedom From Religious

Persecution Act- an act aimed at monitoring religious tolerance in the international arena” evolved from his US Copts Association lobbying efforts.  

Four months before the Garas’ murders, Meunier joined the US Copts Association with FBI, British Parliament and European Union representatives. The Feds are seeking to expand their recruitment towards Arabic-speaking individuals familiar with Coptic Christian and Islamic cultures.  The Coptic Diocese of Los Angeles hosted a Coptic-Community “Meet The FBI Banquet, at Garden Grove California ’s Hyatt Regency, familiarizing the FBI to American Copts and introducing Copts with “the FBI’s mission, efforts and future needs,” like finding who murdered, like trussed sheep, a daughter, son-in-law and two grand daughters, before it happens again.  

US Copts Board Member Dr. Kamal Ibrahim, His Grace Bishop Serapion, FBI assistant director Mark S Bullock, and FBI Los Angeles Division, Assistant Director in Charge, Ronald L. Iden, stressed Copts can contribute to the nation’s security from terrorism through civic involvement. Bishop Serapion gave an introduction of Copt culture, history and traditions. The Bishop described Copts patriotic history in Egypt . Meunier said Copts, with a “long history of suffering under Islamic terrorism” and “continuing oppression,” are best equipped to fight terrorism with the FBI, domestically and internationally. Two FBI Copt employees were on hand to answer questions. Bullock said the Bureau needs Arabic-speaking individuals.  

Amal Garas’ family described Hossam Armanious as an outspoken advocate for Coptic Christian religious freedom in Egypt . Newsreports described him as a well-known leader of online ministry to the Muslim-American community, seeking to bring his religion to others. Garas family members held up hands, displaying Copt tattoos. Media misreported tattoos on wrists were slashed. Corrected, wrists were slit. The Garas’ said the tradition of

Copt cross hand tattoos began as a tradition to never forget Egyptians tattooing crosses on Copts hands to identify them as Christians in a Muslim culture. Similar to yellow stars and numbers Nazis used to identify Jews.  

Ferail’s son, Ayman, knelt beside his grieving mother. Hossam’s family was in Egypt . They would not be attending the memorial for their daughter-in-law, grandchildren and son.  Meunier said Armanious’ family held an alternative funeral for their son. Ferail wept.  

The family’s official statement made clear the Garas’ want to solve the murders. They do not want to further erode fragile Coptic and Islamic community relations, “we seek only justice for our slain family members and make no accusations as to who committed this crime or why it was carried out in such a vengeful and premeditated manner.”  

Amal’s uncle confirmed Amal was wearing her $3500 ring when her body was discovered; other expensive pieces of jewelry were in the house when their bodies were discovered; the family was not aware of other jewelry that might have been taken; Amal’s cousin said Armanious’ rarely kept more than $100 in their house; the postal worker and dining hall server’s family gold was stolen a year earlier; loans including $120,000 mortgage were paid down; the family was unaware if Armanious’ owed money. Amal’s brother-in-law rhetorically asked reporters if robbery was the motive, “why would the murderer have killed each person in such a cruel and vindictive manner,” holes bored in their necks, beneath the slits, Internet-Hagannah reported, were large enough to turn a knife around.  

A few months after Wall Street Journal reporter Jonathan Eric Lewis wrote “many Copts chose emigration to the US over the alternative of living as second class citizens in an increasingly Islamic Egypt,” the Garas family denied there was truth to stories that Armanious murders were an Egyptian “life for a possible life vendetta killing” as was reported to enforcement as a motive. Amal’s uncle said, months after Theo Van Gogh’s public slaying in Amsterdam along with Westerner beheadings broadcast repeatedly over the Internet, ”the ‘old country vendetta’ theory, in their opinion “lacks credibility” because “such common practice decades ago in Egypt are no longer practiced in modern society,” continuing, if it was a vendetta, the logical attack would be family members in Egypt not here in the US. Amal’s uncle felt Hossam’s 2002 visit to Egypt played no role in the murders. The uncle stated, twice, the Armanious’ came to Jersey City , for the same reason other immigrants did, to “pursue their dream.”  

Relatives confirmed there was no sign of forced entry into the Armanious’ home. No questions were asked about Armanious’ former tenant rumored to have held a grudge with Hossam.  

At the end of the press conference, one photojournalist asked about the Copt association’s comfort zone with enforcement’s ability to interface within Coptic and Muslim communities. Meunier said best effort is being done to communicate the in’s and out’s of Coptic history to enforcement.Privately, Meunier said current officers on the force are unfamiliar with this culture of Islamic murder displayed at the Armanious’ murder site and the viceration, a year earlier, of a pregnant wife and her mother by a local Muslim politician.  Allegedly, the women refused convert to Islam. Meunier expressed concern over crime analysis. Hate crimes are being misreported as murders, assaults, stalking, and vice versa.  

Amal’s brother Ayam admitted their family was unaware Hossam preached Christianity on Pal-Talk. Jihad Watch host Robert Spencer viewed barsomyat.com, a password protected Arabic Web site featuring pictures and information about Christians active in debating Muslims on PalTalk, after being advised the photos, names and addresses of Christians, innocently participating in web talk chatrooms are being hunted down then exposed to potential danger through publication on the Net. Internet-Hagannah, tracking such sites discovered one site hosted in Minnesota , another in Quebec , others in the Netherlands . Once uncovered by media watchers, the sites are closed then re-opened under new URL’s. Spencer wrote "It's chilling to see photographs of people who probably have no idea that they're on the Web site. Hamas' site posts congratulatory accounts of their attacks on civilians, but barsomyat.com's users are telegraphing their intended victims in advance."  Spencer said the Internet is a "prime example" of how some Islamic extremists utilize technology to attempt to bring Islamic religious law to the West.  

Meunier announced the family’s upcoming memorial service. Copts will be there, as well as empathetic mourners, and as Enforcement hopes, murderers, who like arsonists, coming back to view their handiwork, to gloat, or for a second strike, as terrorists do.  

BIO: Carrie Devorah is a DC based investigative photojournalist.  

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