On January 24,2010, Egyptian law enforcement along with special units attacked a Coptic monastery known as St. Makarious located in “Wadi el rayan “el- Fayoum near Cairo.
This attack followed a few days after the massacre of Copts on their Christmas Eve, an attack planned by members of the Egyptian Parliament and executed by barbaric Arabs. It resulted in the death of eight innocent victims.
This time, the chief of police from the town of Youssef’ El Seedek, Mr. Youssef’ El Kalway, headed the special forces with three armed police cars who came to assault the St. Makarious Monastery with an accusation of illegal construction.
A monk living in the monastery indicated that for years the monastery had requested the approval of plans for restoration and renovation, but the government of the Egyptian regime had refused to issue any construction permits related to any Christian construction including the St. Makarious Monastery, as per their policy of discrimination against Copts.
The history of the issue of renovation and reconstruction of the St. Makarious Monastery is too long, but could be summarized in the following in the various judgments pending against the monastery and its monks:
– A judgment of 44 million Egyptian Pounds as a penalty for illegal construction has been issued.
– A judgment of six million US dollars as a penalty for illegal construction of a gas line has been issued.
In addition there are documents showing that the regime authority tried to damage the gas line that feeds the monastery.