Itehadia Incident Martyr Family Calls for National Reconciliation, Harmony

Mohamed Mamdouh Al-Husseini was only 33 when he was killed in the bloody events outside Egypt’s Itehadia Presidential Palace in Cairo on Wednesday, 6 December 2012 – who was shot by a treacherous bunch of criminal thugs, and whose death was totally and deliberately ignored by Egyptian media.

Mohamed’s father, Mamdouh Al-Husseini, a Brotherhood official in Cairo, said: “Mohamed was careful to balance his life, between his job as an engineer in an international company and between his duties as a political and religious activist – he was a founding member of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP).

“When Mohamed knew there was a sinister plot to break into Itehadia Palace and sensed the danger, he went there without hesitation. He was in the first rows of pro-Morsi demonstrators in Khalifa Street, defending Itehadia Palace against attacks by thugs and opponents of President Mohamed Morsi’s Decrees.

“We received a report of an attack by thugs in Mirghani Street. I told youth in Mamoun Street to stay put and wait for the police who were due shortly on the scene to do their duty to protect the Palace and to prevent clashes.

“Security forces did arrive, equipped with metal barriers to separate supporters and protesters, and to prevent attacks by thugs. A little later, Mohamed told me that police forces withdrew from Mirghani Street in a sudden, suspicious maneuver. After that, I tried to call him several times in vain.

“At approximately 1:30PM, one of Mohamed’s friends called me and said ‘Your son is dead! Three bullets hit him in the chest, the head and the right arm’. ”

The martyr’s father added that the medic who carried his son told him that Mohamed’s last words were: “Never abandon the path we started on.”

Meanwhile, Mohamed’s mother said that the last phone call between them was at 11pm, on the day of the incident. At that time, she told him, “Come home, Mohamed. Your father is tired, bring him and come back. I’ll be waiting for you”.

An hour later, Mohamed’s mother said, she tried to contact him again, but he did not reply. She tried to call his father, but he did not reply either.

“Then, my heart sank in fear. Minutes later, my other son Ahmed called me. He said: ‘I want to speak with you, Mama!’

“Ahmed already knew Mohamed had died. But he could not tell me straight-away. Instead, he said Mohamed was wounded during clashes. I panicked and kept repeating: ‘How injured? What type of injury?’ But he did not utter another word.

“Shortly, Mohamed’s youngest brother Abdel-Rahman came and hugged me desperately, in tears. He told me: ‘Mohamed died, mom, Mohamed died!’

“For what seemed like a long while, I was dazed. I did not believe or grasp what had happened. I collapsed, with my tongue repeating: “We belong to God, and to Him we shall return.”

Back to Mohamed’s father. He said: “We were brought up in the school of the Muslim Brotherhood, where we learnt the love of sacrifice and the love of our homeland. I am ready and willing to sacrifice my two remaining sons Ahmed and Abdul-Rahman.

“I am prepared to forgive my son’s killers, those who were the cause of his martyrdom, provided the conspirators abandon their old criminal ways. I would join hands with them and cooperate for a real renaissance in Egypt, and so as to restore harmony to the people of this dear homeland, as they were during the days of the January 25 revolution.

“The Brotherhood does not hold grudges against anyone. They never seek revenge. Their slogan is ‘reconciliation of all parties, trends and all the sons and daughters of Egypt’. For compassion and mutual caring are basic components of the Muslim Brotherhood school of thinking and education.”

Mamdouh Al-Husseini addressed a message to Egypt’s so-called elite, saying: “We want to stop the bloodshed. Please let us just stop spilling our own blood. You talk of citizens’ rights and freedom and equality, yet you spread chaos and destruction in the name of such honorable principles and values.

“We want stability for this homeland. Fear God in what you do in this country. We are all in this one boat. If you chip at it, the whole boat will sink to the bottom. Do not follow those who want to subvert and bankrupt this country. Do not give the corrupt any chance to abort the revolution and overthrow legitimacy.

“The people began the march of freedom and dignity. They should not turn back halfway through. It has now become essential that we stand in the face of those who want to destroy elected institutions. Think hard. Vote for stability.”