Background:

The interview concerns a terrorist attack on a village in Asyūṭ called ʿIzbat al-ʾAqbāṭ on 24 February 1996. Father Samuel describes the incident in the interview as well as the funeral that honored the victims of the attack.

The questions were asked in English but there was a translator for the Coptic Orthodox priest. So, all of the answers were in Arabic.

Side A:

Father Samuel states that the attack took place at 7:30 pm where a group of an estimated number of 2-3 people entered the village, killing a carpenter and six people who were standing near him. The terrorist then stormed into several houses injuring many individuals. Security forces surrounded the village at night while the ambulance transported the injured and the deceased to nearby hospitals.

Father Samuel describes a funeral that was held for the victims the following day. The governor of Asyūṭ Dr. Muḥammad al-Tāḥlāwī attended with other officials in the country including the leader of the National Democratic Party (NDP).

Father Samuel was asked to comment on why he thought the terrorist attack had happened in this village. He states that he thinks that neither money nor resources were the driving forces towards the commitment of this attack. ʿIzbat al-ʾAqbāṭ is a poor village with a population of 3000 people. Most of them work as artisans or farmers and therefore, they possess a very small income.

Father Samuel was also asked on the feelings of the villagers after the incident. He believes that this was the first time ʿIzbat al-ʾAqbāṭ experienced instability and fear. However, he is doing the best he can to comfort and support the people of his village.