Egypt arrests 22 converts from Islam to Christianity and searches for 80 more.
Washington D.C (10/23/03) – U.S. Copts Association received several phone calls from families and friends of over 20 Egyptian secret converts from Islam to Christianity who have been detained by the Egyptian police since October 20th.
The assault started with the arrest of a husband and wife who secretly converted from Islam to Christianity. Yousef Samuel Makari Suliman, whose former Muslim name was Muhammad Ahmad Imam al-Kurdi and his wife Mariam Girgis Makar formerly Saher El-Sayid Abd al-Kani and their two daughters, Sarah and Marina (formerly Sarah and Shaymaa) all had secretly converted to Christianity and had been living as Christians in hiding. ..... Lawyers who were able to visit the couple report that Mariam Girgis has been the subject of sexual assault and attempted rape by police officers. In addition, she and her husband were beaten and physically abused. .... ....Under sever torture; the police was able to extract the names of some 100 other converts who secured new ID cards with Christian names. Immediately, thereafter, 20 more converts were arrested in Alexandria alone....
Seven people were killed and 45 others injured in Indian Kashmir in a bloody start to the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan which Islamic rebels have vowed will be soaked in violence.
..... "There will be an escalation in the activities of mujahedin (holy warriors) in the month of Ramadan," Abu Huzaifa, ...
Some 38 civilians who had come to pay their telephone bills have been injured.......