Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Two Egyptian construction workers from Egypt’s Menoufia Governorate have been thrust into the spotlight in Italy after risking their lives to stop the suspect behind the horrific Modena attack that left 12 Italian civilians dead or injured in northern Italy.
Egypt’s Ambassador to Italy, Bassam Rady, personally honored Osama Mohamed Abdullah Shalaby, 56, and his son Mohamed Osama Shalaby, 20, at the Egyptian Embassy in Rome after the pair courageously chased down and subdued the attacker following the bloody rampage in the city of Modena.
The suspect, an Italian national armed with a knife, allegedly carried out a brutal vehicle-ramming and stabbing attack that shocked Italy and triggered a massive security response across the city. Witnesses described scenes of panic as pedestrians fled through Modena’s streets while emergency crews rushed to assist victims.
But amid the chaos, the Egyptian father and son reportedly refused to stand by.
According to accounts highlighted by Italian media, the pair pursued the suspect through narrow streets and alleyways before managing to wrestle him to the ground and hold him there until police officers arrived. Despite the danger posed by the armed attacker, they intervened without hesitation.
Ambassador Rady praised the two men as an example of “the principles and courage of the Egyptian people,” saying their actions reflected positively on Egyptians living abroad and demonstrated extraordinary bravery under life-threatening circumstances.
The dramatic intervention also drew praise from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who publicly commended the Egyptian duo for what she described as exceptional courage.
Italian media widely circulated photographs and interviews with the father and son, detailing their journey from Egypt’s Tala district in Menoufia to working in Italy’s construction sector. Their words after the incident quickly spread across Italian social media and television broadcasts.
“We did not feel fear. We are Egyptians, and we fear none but God,” the two men said in comments that resonated strongly both in Egypt and Italy.
The incident has sparked a wave of admiration online, with many Italians praising the pair for preventing what authorities fear could have become an even greater massacre had the suspect remained at large.
The recognition from both Egyptian and Italian officials comes at a moment of heightened concern across Europe over violent attacks targeting civilians, with the Modena tragedy once again raising questions about public security and emergency response.
For many Egyptians, however, the story has also become one of national pride, a tale of two ordinary workers who, far from home, became unlikely heroes in one of Italy’s darkest moments.
