Egypt begins trial of man accused of killing Coptic priest

By SAMY MAGDY
Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — A court in the Egyptian city of Alexandria began the trial Saturday of a man accused of stabbing to death a Coptic Christian priest, an attack that shocked the Arab world’s most populous country. The case dates to early April when Arsanious Wadid, a 56-year-old priest, was killed at popular seaside promenade in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. Nehru Tawfiq appeared before judges at a packed courtroom Saturday in Alexandria, in the first session of his trial. He denied the accusations. Defense lawyers, in their initial argument, said that the attack was not a “deliberate” one.