Hundreds of Muslims pelted Christian-owned shops and a police station with stones in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria yesterday after a Muslim man was killed, an eyewitness said.

A security source said the violence started after word of mouth reports a Muslim man, identified as Ahmed Abdel Razeq Gomaa, had been stabbed to death in the street by his Christian landlords.

Crowds of Muslims assembled near a mosque for funeral prayers for Gomaa chanting "They'll die, they'll die," in reference to the three Christian landlords, brothers Ayman, Atef and Farag Tagy, the witness said. Police and security vehicles were positioned in the area.

Security sources said the Muslim man was the sole Muslim tenant in the building owned by the trio, and had been injured in an earlier fight with the brothers. One security source added that the three landlords had been detained over the death.

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