"Adel Karas,
an Egyptian Copt…the victim of hatred crimes in Los Angeles," "Adel Karas, an Egyptian martyr killed
by
American racism," "An Egyptian Copt is the first victim of the attacks against Arabs in America," "Assassination
of an Egyptian in Los Angeles." This is how the different papers reported the death of Adel Karas, in his
shop in
Los Angeles, at the hands of three Americans. Adel was a 48-year-old Egyptian Copt, who had lived
in America for 22
years.
Karas’ death is believed to be part of the Americans’ hatred
campaign against Arabs and
Muslims, which started after the recent attacks in America. When Dr. Sami Karas,
Adel’s brother, was interviewed
by al-Akhbar he stated that it was very obvious that Adel was not killed
with the aim of robbery, as nothing was
stolen of his shop. "There is an Islamic Center near Adel’s shop.
Those who visit the center often gathered in his
shop-something which I believe was one of the reasons for
his murder," he observed.
All the papers
that reported the death of Karas only commented on
the fact that an Arab was murdered and that for Americans there
was no difference between a Muslim Arab and
a Christian Arab. However, al-Usboa found in Adel Karas’ death a good
chance to prove to immigrant Copts
that they were wrong to believe that they were coddled by America. The same
thing raised by al-Arabi in its
two articles titled "Adel Karas, the martyr of national unity" and "A new insolence
of immigrant Copts…Adel
Karas escaped with his skin from extremist Islamists."
"The death of
Adel Karas proved
to them that they are not America’s favorite child as they had imagined or as America had tried
to make
them imagine. It was proof that for America they are no more than a playing card, which America will burn
whenever it likes, as it previously burned the card of extremist Islamists," al-Usboa observed.
For
its part, al-Arabi wrote that the Organizations of immigrant Copts dared not to condemn
the death of Adel Karas.
All that the American Coptic Association said in its comment on his death was that
he ran with his skin, 20 years
ago, from death at the hands of terrorist Islamic groups in Egypt. The
Association released a report in which it
wrote "Christians know that they are targeted by the terrorist
Islamic groups in Egypt. That is why we came to
America to enjoy a better life."
