The trial opened Sunday and was scheduled to resume Thursday when, according to security officials, the deceased monk was to give his testimony. The monk’s death was announced in a brief statement issued by the Coptic Orthodox Church. It said the cause of his death at the al-Muharraq monastery in southern Egypt remained unknown. The security officials said Zeinoun’s name also came up as a possible accomplice in the abbot’s killing during lengthy questioning of witnesses by prosecutors. The security officials said Zeinoun was dying when monks went to his cell in the small hours to fetch him for vespers.

Source: Washington Post September 26, 2018 10:47 UTC