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Egypt billionaire questions cause of church fire 

August 16, 2022 at 2:24 pm

Security measures are taken around the site after a fire broke out in Abu Sefein Church in Giza, Egypt on 14 August 2022 [Mohamed Abdel Hamid/Anadolu Agency]

Egyptian Coptic businessman Naguib Sawiris sparked debate on Twitter after a tweet he posted commenting on the fire that killed 41 Coptic Christians, including children, in the Abu Sifin Church in Giza.

Sawiris wrote that he would not accept condolences until he discovers the “details” of what happened. The authorities had announced that the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction, according to the initial indications.

READ: Egypt: 3 generations of one family die in deadly church fire

“We in Upper Egypt do not accept condolences before we know the details and know the perpetrator God is the avenger and He will obtain the victims’ rights,” he added.

The tweet sparked debate among Egyptian social media users. While some saw his tweet as “vague”, “suspicious” and as having come at “the wrong time,” accusing him of “inciting sedition”, others agreed with him and stressed the importance of knowing the truth about what happened and the details of how the fire started.