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st_felicity
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It appears this tragedy was not a so called “hate crime” but rather a home invasion by a former tenant.
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cestusdei
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I haven’t read any new info on this. Is there a link?
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aimee
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Franze
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st_felicity
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When I posted this morning I had just heard it on Fox News…I had to leave for work and…but now I’m not so sure…it’s a developing story…(from link from Franze) Thanks.
Former Inmate Held in NJ Coptic Slaying
Douglas J. Hagmann
http://www.homelandsecurityus.com/njfamily.jpg
4 March 2005: An ex-con and former upstairs neighbor is being detained and questioned about the brutal murder of the Armanious family of four - the Coptic Christan family who were outspoken on their religious beliefs and who raised the ire of radical Islamic fundamentalists on the Internet chatroom PalTalk. Edward McDonald, 25, was picked up by detectives as a result of a review of surveillance video of various automatic teller machines in New Jersey and Manhattan. The ATM card belonged to Hossam Armanious.
Authorities have also seized a car that was shown on an ATM surveillance tapes. The bodies of the 47-year-old Armanious, his wife, Amal Garas, 37, and their daughters, Sylvia, 15, and Monica, 8, were found inside their home on January 14, 2005. Investigators believe the Coptic Christian family was killed the night of January 11th. Each victim had been bound, gagged and viciously stabbed in the throat; the younger family member also suffered a stab wound on her wrist, over an iconic cross.
The Northeast Intelligence Network has received information that the suspect being questioned in this matter, Edward G. McDonald, was incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institute at Fort Dix (released 30 April 2004) for cocaine distribution. He was also incarcerated in Hudson County, NJ for distributing drugs on school property. Prison sources have provided information to the Northeast intelligence Network about McDonald and more importantly, his associates while in prison. According to sources speaking to the Northeast Intelligence Network on the condition of anonymity, McDonald is not believed to be the only person involved in this slaying - and might not have committed the murders himself.
While incarcerated in the federal system, he reportedly associated with a group of inmates who were actively involved in Islamic counseling - receiving radical fundamentalist Islamic literature during his incarceration. The prison source told Northeast Intelligence Network director Douglas Hagmann that there is indeed a religious component to the murders, although McDonald is not alone. Investigators from this agency are continuing the investigation to determine the veracity of those claims. Developing.
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Matt25
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**
Two Charged in Slaying of Egyptian Family** guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4842013,00.html
Friday March 4, 2005 8:46 PM
By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press Writer
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) - The upstairs neighbor of an Egyptian Christian family found slain in their home in January was charged along with another man Friday in the killings, and authorities said the motive was robbery, not religious fanaticism, as some had feared.
Edward McDonald, 25, who rented a second-floor apartment above Hossam Armanious and his family, pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder, as did Hamilton Sanchez, 30. Both men were ordered held on $10 million bail.
``I didn’t kill nobody, man,’’ Sanchez said as he was led from the courtroom.
Armanious, a 47-year-old Coptic Christian; his wife, and their two daughters, ages 8 and 15, were found bound and gagged with puncture wounds to their throats.
The slayings raised tensions between Christian and Muslim immigrants in New Jersey. Armanious frequented Internet chat rooms, posting opinions under the user name ``I Love Jesus.’’ Some Christians speculated he was killed by Muslim fanatics.
But Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said the killings took place during a robbery by the two men, who owed someone a large sum of money.
``I’d like to make one thing perfectly clear: The motive for these murders was robbery. This was a crime based on greed, the desperate need of money,’’ DeFazio said.
Authorities said thousands of dollars were withdrawn from Armanious’ bank account using his ATM card in the days after the slayings.
Two Charged in Slaying of Egyptian Family** guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4842013,00.html
Friday March 4, 2005 8:46 PM
By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press Writer
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) - The upstairs neighbor of an Egyptian Christian family found slain in their home in January was charged along with another man Friday in the killings, and authorities said the motive was robbery, not religious fanaticism, as some had feared.
Edward McDonald, 25, who rented a second-floor apartment above Hossam Armanious and his family, pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder, as did Hamilton Sanchez, 30. Both men were ordered held on $10 million bail.
``I didn’t kill nobody, man,’’ Sanchez said as he was led from the courtroom.
Armanious, a 47-year-old Coptic Christian; his wife, and their two daughters, ages 8 and 15, were found bound and gagged with puncture wounds to their throats.
The slayings raised tensions between Christian and Muslim immigrants in New Jersey. Armanious frequented Internet chat rooms, posting opinions under the user name ``I Love Jesus.’’ Some Christians speculated he was killed by Muslim fanatics.
But Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said the killings took place during a robbery by the two men, who owed someone a large sum of money.
``I’d like to make one thing perfectly clear: The motive for these murders was robbery. This was a crime based on greed, the desperate need of money,’’ DeFazio said.
Authorities said thousands of dollars were withdrawn from Armanious’ bank account using his ATM card in the days after the slayings.
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st_felicity
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I guess this is a “wait and see” thing…
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Maryam
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God bless all… I live in Jersey City and have many Coptic friends. This tragedy has caused such a big rift between Egyptian Christians and Muslims.
Unfortunately due to the discrimination Copts face in Egypt, it causes many Copts here in America, due to the horrific way in which the Armanious family was murdered to relive past trauma’s and unfortunately again to allow themselves to be prey to all of the rumors going rampant within the community and the misinformation being perpetuated by alot of the media (both legit and tabloid).
Alot of healing between Egyptian Christian and Muslim community is needed right now here in Jersey City. I am with our holy father Pope John Paul the II in loving our Muslim brothers and all of humanity in general.
I was always of the belief that it was an inside job and am not surprised at the arrest of the former tenant and his accomplice.
I don’t think it does any good to keep the Fundamentalist angle going… We as Catholics know what it feels like to have our faith smeared across the media with all of the scandals in recent years.
Let the police do their jobs is what I say and just pray for justice and for the Armanious family… may they rest in peace.
Unfortunately due to the discrimination Copts face in Egypt, it causes many Copts here in America, due to the horrific way in which the Armanious family was murdered to relive past trauma’s and unfortunately again to allow themselves to be prey to all of the rumors going rampant within the community and the misinformation being perpetuated by alot of the media (both legit and tabloid).
Alot of healing between Egyptian Christian and Muslim community is needed right now here in Jersey City. I am with our holy father Pope John Paul the II in loving our Muslim brothers and all of humanity in general.
I was always of the belief that it was an inside job and am not surprised at the arrest of the former tenant and his accomplice.
I don’t think it does any good to keep the Fundamentalist angle going… We as Catholics know what it feels like to have our faith smeared across the media with all of the scandals in recent years.
Let the police do their jobs is what I say and just pray for justice and for the Armanious family… may they rest in peace.
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Deacon_Tony560
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What were these two doing out of jail? Given their backgrounds, in some states they would still be locked up.
Deacon Tony
Deacon Tony
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