[Blood of Tyrants]

The parents still have Arabic sounding names. So the parents were probably Muslim at one time. I would still look at family members who were Muslim for a possoble "honor killing".

[scars]

Agreed. I didn't even think of family members or honor killing, it's just so far removed from the way I(we) think. You're right, though.

[monkeywrench]

Just doing what they could for coptics in egypt would be enough problem for them, I'd think. The egyptian authorities get the name from the ones recieving aid, and call one of the many muhammedans in Jersey to deal with it.

[Christopher Lincoln]

The story says that the family were already Christian when they emigrated. Also, it doesn't seem likely that they would be on good terms with their relatives if there were a religious difference. There's nothing strange about an Arab having an Arabic sounding name.

Still, I hope the police haven't overlooked this point.

[The_Reader_David]

Most Copts have what Americans would regard as 'Arabic sounding' names: with the exception of a Miriam, every membe of the two Coptic families who come to our little Orthodox (meaning Eastern Orthodox = Rum in the Middle East) mission when they don't make the two and a quarter hour trek to the nearest Coptic church have 'Arabic sounding' names.

[Cronos]

The parents still have Arabic sounding names. So the parents were probably Muslim at one time. I would still look at family members who were Muslim for a possoble "honor killing".

Arab does not necessarily mean Mooselimb. The Lebanese etc are Christian Arabs and were Christians in the first centuries after Christ. Syria itself is 10% Christian, Egypt, 2%, Lebanon 44%, Iraq 2%, etc.