(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - “If the murderers of Shia Muslims are not identified within the next 24 hours, we will appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC),” said Bahaa Anwar Mohamed, the spokesman for Egypt’s Shia community, during a press conference in Cairo on Wednesday.
“Mohammad Morsi is behind the murder of the four Shia Muslims,” he said adding the president supported Salafist groups in the past.
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.
Anwar Mohamed added that “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.
Morsi, however, in a statement condemned the killing and said that the incident is against the spirit of forgiveness and respect of moderate Egyptians and that Egyptians are against law-breaking or bloodshed for any reason.
Security sources in Egypt said eight people were detained in connection with the attack.
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.”
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