Egypt Shia Muslim community condemns takfiris’ killing of cleric, followers

Leaders of the Shia community in Egypt have condemned the recent killing of four Shia Muslims by Takfiri extremists near Cairo, Press TV reports.

Speaking in a press conference in Cairo on Wednesday, the leaders censured the government for what they said was its failure to protect the Shia community.

On June 23, several hundred Takfiris attacked and surrounded the house of Shia cleric Sheikh Hassan Shehata in the village of Abu Mussalam in Giza Province. The Takfiris killed the cleric and three of his followers and dragged their bodies on the streets.

Bahaa Anwar Mohamed, the spokesman for Egypt’s Shia community, told Press TV, “The government stands doing nothing. It is a crime, and we are going to international court, international justice court to send [President] Morsi into jail.”

The June 23 attack has drawn criticism from Egyptian politicians.

Takfiris claim that only their interpretation of Islam is correct and believe that all other Muslims are infidels.

Amnesty International has called on Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi to address the violence against Shias in the country.

Amnesty’s Deputy Director of Middle East Programs Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui said on June 25, “The Egyptian authorities must immediately order an independent and impartial investigation into the killing of the four men, and send a clear message that carrying out attacks and inciting violence against Shiite Muslims will not be tolerated.”