Coptic Family Slaughtered--BLOG ANONYMOUSLY!
I've heard a few people say that all bloggers should use their real names. I guess this is particularly true for those in the USA who feel very safe doing this. I respectfully disagree. Do not put your name out for the world to see, unless you are quite sure that you will offend absolutely no one, which may prevent any political or religious comment at all.
The story that follows is a good reason to trust only very few people with your identity and location. If this can happen in the USA, you can believe it will happen in many other places too. No one is safe from Extremists...NO ONE!
By DOUGLAS MONTERO and STEFAN C. FRIEDMAN
The father of a murdered New Jersey family was threatened for making anti-Muslim remarks online — and the gruesome quadruple slaying may have been the hateful retaliation, sources told The Post yesterday.
Hossam Armanious, 47, who along with his wife and two daughters was found stabbed to death in his Jersey City home early Friday, would regularly debate religion in a Middle Eastern chat room, one source said.
Armanious, an Egyptian Christian, was well known for expressing his Coptic beliefs and engaging in fiery back-and-forth with Muslims on the Web site paltalk.com.
He "had the reputation for being one of the most outspoken Egyptian Christians," said the source, who had close ties to the family.
The source, who had knowledge of the investigation, refused to specify the anti-Muslim statement. But he said cops told him they were looking into the exchanges as a possible motive.
The married father of two had recently been threatened by Muslim members of the Web site, said a fellow Copt and store clerk who uses the chat room.
"You'd better stop this bull---- or we are going to track you down like a chicken and kill you," was the threat, said the clerk, who was online at the time and saw the exchange.
But Armanious refused to back down, according to two sources who use the Web site.
Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy would neither confirm nor deny that cops and prosecutors were looking into the religion motive, saying only that "nothing is being ruled out." But a relative of the mayor who answered the phone at Healy's home said there was information the murders were "religion-related."
"There are several theories we are looking into, but we are not commenting on any of them at this time," said Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Guy Gregory.
Armanious' fervor apparently rubbed off on his daughter, Sylvia — who would have turned 16 yesterday.
"She was very religious and very opinionated," said Jessica Cimino, 15, a fellow sophomore at Dickenson HS.
A family member who viewed photos of the bloodbath said Sylvia seemed to have taken the most savage punishment.
"When we saw the pictures, you could tell that they were hurt really, really bad in the face; especially Sylvia," said Milad Garas, the high-school sophomore's great-uncle.
The heartless killer not only slit Sylvia's throat, but also sliced a huge gash in her chest and stabbed her in the wrist, where she had a tattoo of a Coptic cross.
Also found murdered were the wife, Amal Garas, and the parents' other daughter, Monica.
Fred Ayed, the deacon at St. George and St. Shenouda Church, where the deeply religious family attended services, said he's worried that the murders could have a ripple effect.
"I am concerned for the safety of our community," said Ayed, who knew Hossam for 30 years. "People are scared because one family was slain like cows," said Moheb Ghabour, publisher of a local newspaper for the Coptic community.
Osama Hassan, director of the Islamic Center of Jersey City, described the relationship between Copts and Muslims as cooperative if not friendly.
"I think there might be people that can get into physical fights, but not to the point of murder," Hassan said.
Both the deacon and uncle poured cold water on the theory that the family were the victims of a robbery gone wrong.
"This is not a robbery, Ayed said. "We found all of the jewelry in the house. They didn't take anything."
The FBI confirmed it has been called in to help with the case.
Additional reporting by Heather Gilmore
The story that follows is a good reason to trust only very few people with your identity and location. If this can happen in the USA, you can believe it will happen in many other places too. No one is safe from Extremists...NO ONE!
By DOUGLAS MONTERO and STEFAN C. FRIEDMAN
The father of a murdered New Jersey family was threatened for making anti-Muslim remarks online — and the gruesome quadruple slaying may have been the hateful retaliation, sources told The Post yesterday.
Hossam Armanious, 47, who along with his wife and two daughters was found stabbed to death in his Jersey City home early Friday, would regularly debate religion in a Middle Eastern chat room, one source said.
Armanious, an Egyptian Christian, was well known for expressing his Coptic beliefs and engaging in fiery back-and-forth with Muslims on the Web site paltalk.com.
He "had the reputation for being one of the most outspoken Egyptian Christians," said the source, who had close ties to the family.
The source, who had knowledge of the investigation, refused to specify the anti-Muslim statement. But he said cops told him they were looking into the exchanges as a possible motive.
The married father of two had recently been threatened by Muslim members of the Web site, said a fellow Copt and store clerk who uses the chat room.
"You'd better stop this bull---- or we are going to track you down like a chicken and kill you," was the threat, said the clerk, who was online at the time and saw the exchange.
But Armanious refused to back down, according to two sources who use the Web site.
Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy would neither confirm nor deny that cops and prosecutors were looking into the religion motive, saying only that "nothing is being ruled out." But a relative of the mayor who answered the phone at Healy's home said there was information the murders were "religion-related."
"There are several theories we are looking into, but we are not commenting on any of them at this time," said Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Guy Gregory.
Armanious' fervor apparently rubbed off on his daughter, Sylvia — who would have turned 16 yesterday.
"She was very religious and very opinionated," said Jessica Cimino, 15, a fellow sophomore at Dickenson HS.
A family member who viewed photos of the bloodbath said Sylvia seemed to have taken the most savage punishment.
"When we saw the pictures, you could tell that they were hurt really, really bad in the face; especially Sylvia," said Milad Garas, the high-school sophomore's great-uncle.
The heartless killer not only slit Sylvia's throat, but also sliced a huge gash in her chest and stabbed her in the wrist, where she had a tattoo of a Coptic cross.
Also found murdered were the wife, Amal Garas, and the parents' other daughter, Monica.
Fred Ayed, the deacon at St. George and St. Shenouda Church, where the deeply religious family attended services, said he's worried that the murders could have a ripple effect.
"I am concerned for the safety of our community," said Ayed, who knew Hossam for 30 years. "People are scared because one family was slain like cows," said Moheb Ghabour, publisher of a local newspaper for the Coptic community.
Osama Hassan, director of the Islamic Center of Jersey City, described the relationship between Copts and Muslims as cooperative if not friendly.
"I think there might be people that can get into physical fights, but not to the point of murder," Hassan said.
Both the deacon and uncle poured cold water on the theory that the family were the victims of a robbery gone wrong.
"This is not a robbery, Ayed said. "We found all of the jewelry in the house. They didn't take anything."
The FBI confirmed it has been called in to help with the case.
Additional reporting by Heather Gilmore
posted by Emmunah at 7:40 AM
10 Comments:
Interesting.
Your comments, that is, not the story, which is an abomination.
I answered ur question on my blog. I post it here too
The verse u r referring to is not suggesting that we shouldn't take jews and christians as 'friends'. For example muslims are allowed to marry women from the people of the book and since marriage brings friendship, then that would be a contradiction.
What we are not allowed to do is on a national level refraining from accepting the protection of ahl kitab over the protection of muslim army, and on a personal level not being under the influence of non-muslims. 'wali' is not only a friend but a friend that you listen to and follow his advice, someone that you look up to and he has spiritual influence on you so that you cannot resist accepting his requests. That comes in the shape of fondness and extreme admiration. A muslims should not let a non-muslim have such a power on him to take him away from his obligations (for example by inviting him to sin).
This doesn't suggest that jews and christians are evil but it's a measure that we take to protect our faith. In fact if one is confident in himself, he has to go out and find as many friends as he can and be the good example of a muslim to them so that by "islam" they remember his character and not 'terrorism'. This interpreation I gave is not a modified version; it's what the majority believe, except those whom we know well and their words is worth nothing.
So if you have true muslim friends, be sure they are your true friends and they are the most loyal people on earth and they respect you regardless of your origin, gender and religion. But also know that they stick to their religion and between God and their best friend, they choose God.
Mohammad, Your post raises in me, a Christian, a number of questions. With your permission, I would like to ask them.
Excuse me for posting anonymously, but I dislike signing in to blogger. I am EdB at http://wonderwinds.com and wanted to comment not on the slaughter in New Jersey but the idea of using your real name.
Don't.
Many people do, and that's fine, but only a fool in your situation would hang their real name on a blog. Put your reality there if you want, but if you do DON'T put your name on it.
By the way I stumbled across your blog while looking at Iraqi & Kurdish weblogs about the recent elections. It was interesting to read from a Jew living in Kurdistan (to say the least!). In my silly little life I cherish my time in Israel above all others, and I dream of flying Kurdistan's mountains. Silly life, silly dreams eh?
Shalom!
Ed: I am not living in Kurdistan. I wish that were possible. Part of my family were living there, but they had to leave a long time ago. I too, dream of a day when I can at least visit, and maybe live in a free Kurdistan. My reason for this blog is because freedom loving people everywhere do not care what the religion is, but care more about liberty and justice. I also want to help in any way I can so I try to give business advice cause it's what I know the most about. Foremost though I wanted to show my admiration for the women of Peshmerga who are very, very, brave indeed! These woman have no "fan club" and no stories of bravery to commend their actions. This blog seeks to stand as a monument for them and to celebrate their lives.
No posts in a long time. Must be studying for that econ exam. Where are your priorities, gal?
Zionist idealogy? Hmmm...let me think, a place to go for all the religions that were persecuted in other intolerant places. Freedom of speech. Freedom of defense. Freedom for women (still working on that, but much better than elsewhere). Economically advanced in 50 years from nothing to 16th in the world in GDP?. 2nd best military in the world? Lots of foreign investment? 3rd in newly patented innovation in the world? More books published per capita than anywhere else? Freedom to assemble without being shot en masse? Freedom of the press? Freedom to vote in secret ballot? Enterprising people? Free trade? Low unemployment? More scientists per capita than anyplace else? More graduate degrees per capita than anywhere else? I don't know, is that the model Kurds would want to adopt? Relatively little corruption? Sounds totally evil to me, better not do that! LOL!
Just kidding you anonymouse...I know you aren't really an Iraqi. I can hear the tongue in cheek you are using...probably one of those peaceniks that wants to see Iraq and Kurdistan in turmoil just so Bush doesn't have a win eh?
How have you understand that I'm not really an Iraqi? I've post that comment only for see your reaction. Well, Emmunah, you're a very quick-witted girl. I think I'll follow your blog in the next post.
Hi all,
I have one question to kurds. You want to have a state of their own, okay, that is ur right. But, about other ethnicities which dont have a country? For example, Azarbaijanis. Do u support the independe of souther Azerbaijan ??
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