By Worthy News Staff

CAIRO, EGYPT (Worthy News)-- Egyptian police have detained a Muslim man who allegedly killed a Coptic Christian and seriously injured two other Copts in two different villages, north of the capital Cairo, Christians said Wednesday September 23.

Galal Nasr el-Dardiri, 35, attacked 63-year-old Abdu Georgy in front of the victims shop in Behnay village late September 16, news reports said.

Christians said El-Dardiri stabbed Georgy several times, disemboweled him, slit his throat and began sawing off his head. El-Dardiri then allegedly went to a nearby town and stabbed Coptic shopkeeper Boils Eid Messiha, 40, and then went to Mit Afif and attacked another Copt, identified as Hany Barsom Soliman.

Messiha reportedly remained in intensive care and Soliman suffered lacerations to his arms. On Thursday, September 17, about 1,000 people gathered at Georgys funeral to protest the killing and assaults on Coptic Christians.

"BLOOD NOT IN VAIN"

Protestors reportedly chanted that Georgys "blood was not [spilled] in vain" as they carried signs that read, Where are you, government? The terrorists are going to kill us.

El-Dardiri was arrested also September 17 and charged with murder, church sources said.

The latest attack underscored international concerns about growing tensions between minority Christians and majority Muslims in Egypt.

There have been several violent attacks against Coptic Christians in recently in the mainly Islamic nation.