Category Archives: Egypt

Egyptian Christians Enraged Over Court Acquittal in Christmas Eve Massacre

Posted on by

(AINA) —

The Egyptian Emergency State Security Court in Qena acquitted today two of the three suspects in the Christmas Eve Massacre in Nag Hammadi in January, 2010, where six Coptics, between the ages of 16 to 23, were shot and killed by Muslims in a drive-by shooting. The Copts were killed as they filed out of Church after celebrating the Coptic Christmas Eve midnight mass in Nag Hammadi, 600km south of Cairo A Muslim bystander was also killed and nine Copts were seriously injured (AINA 1-7-2010).

The three Muslims accused of the shootings were Mohamed Ahmed Hussein, more commonly known as Hamam el-Kamouny, Qurshi Abul Haggag and Hendawi Sayyed. Mohamed Ahmed Hussein, 39, was sentenced to death by the court on January 16 and the other two were acquitted today. The defendants were charged with using force to disrupt public order and intimidate citizens, with the premeditated murder of seven people, illegal possession of fire arms, the attempted murder of nine others, and voluntarily damaging fixed and liquid assets.

Bishop Cyril, the Coptic Orthodox bishop of Nag Hammadi, said “The court imposed one death sentence because one Muslim was killed, and the Egyptian judiciary wasted the blood of the six murdered Copts, who are of no value to the society. This verdict saddened all Christians worldwide because it means that the State is applying Islamic Sharia on all Christians in Egypt.” He explained that according to Sharia the blood of one Muslim, victim Ayman Hisham, is paid for by the blood of one Muslim, Al-Kamouny; since one Muslim died, one Muslim got the death penalty. Continue Reading →

Egypt’s Copts march to demand a secular state

Posted on by

From http://www.almasryalyoum.com/

<p>?????? ?? ???? 6 ????? ?????? ????? ????? ???????? ?? ???????? ?? ????? ????? ???? ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ??? ?????? ???????? 6 ????? 2011. ??? ????? ?? ???? 6 ????? ???? ???????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? ?? ???????? ???????? ?? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ????? ??????????? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ??????? ??????? ???????? ????? ???????? ???????????. ??? ????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ???? 13 ?????.</p>
Hundreds of Coptic Christians protested in front of the State Television building on Sunday to call for the amendment of Egypt’s Constitution to establish a secular state.

    The march started in the mixed Coptic and Muslim neighborhood of Shubra–a northern suburb of Cairo–with chants of  “Civil! Civil!” and “The people want to change the constitution.”

    The protest reflects the rising fears of the Coptic community since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, who maintained a relatively secular type of governance.

    Copts account for nearly 10 percent of Egypt’s population of over 80 million and constitutes the Middle East’s largest Christian community. They have complained about frequent discrimination and sectarian attacks, and allege that they are overlooked for top jobs in the army, police and certain high ranking administrative posts.

    In the past 14 months, the minority has been hit by two deadly attacks. Six Copts were killed in a drive-by shooting while leaving late night mass on Coptic Christmas Eve in the Upper Egyptian city of Naga Hammadi in 2010. At the beginning of 2011, at least 23 worshippers were killed in a New Year’s Eve church bombing in Alexandria.

    On Saturday the first Islamist political party was formed in the country when a court approved the establishment of the Wasat party (Center party), founded in 1996 by a faction that broke away from the Muslim Brotherhood.

    Meanwhile, the committee appointed by the army to amend certain articles of the Constitution includes a Brotherhood-affiliated lawyer, and a Coptic rights group has argued that Christians are under-represented on it.

    “Millions of Copts object to the committee formed by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces,” Nagib Gibrail, head of the Egyptian Union for Human Rights, said in a statement.

    “I came here from Shubra to ask what’s going on. The army is flirting with Islamists at our expense,” said Mary Maqar, a demonstrator.

    Along with around 2000 other protestors, Maqar chanted “Oh Belal, oh Buros, tell the people that the revolution is a cross and crescent!”

    They carried pictures of Christians killed during the 18 days of the pro-democracy protests by the police or thugs allegedly affiliated with the then-ruling National Democratic Party.

    “We sacrificed our souls for the sake of Egypt, and our aim was a civil state not a religious one. I came here to ask for equality, the Constitution has to be changed and article 2 removed,” said another participant, Janeete Fawzy. Article 2 reads “Islam is the religion of the state. Arabic is its official language, and the principal source of legislation is Islamic jurisprudence (Sharia).”

    “It is our absolute right to come and express our views against article 2. This provision is the source of discrimination in Egypt. You simply can’t impose your religion on others,” argued Loqqa Wagdy, a university student.

    Hey Egypt. Hows the revolution going. Got democracy yet?

    Posted on by

    Some 100.000 Egyptian, supposedly “democratic and peace-loving protesters” cheer on the anti-democratic, recently unbanned from Egypt,  Islamo-nazi Sheik Qaradawi, as he calls for the conquest of Jerusalem.

    Sheik Qaradawi ´s “Victory Speech” at Tahrir Square

    Muslims Abduct Coptic Christian Woman in Egypt

    Posted on by

    AINA:

    (AINA) — Muslims broke into the home of a Coptic family this afternoon and abducted their 18-year-old daughter Nesma Sarwat. The home belongs to the building contractor who built the controversial St. Mary and St. Michael church in Talbiya, within the Omraniya neighborhood of Giza. The abductors wrote messages on the home’s wall, the messages said “Islam is the solution” and “The Church has to be demolished.” The abductors also wrote the names of the other family members on the wall.

    Neighbors heard voices, but no one saw the abductors as the whole operation took less than ten minutes and blood was found on the stairs and in the flat, reported Coptic activist Mariam Ragy of Free Coptic Voice advocacy. “I believe writing the names of the rest of the family might mean that their turn is coming,” said the neighbor.

    The Family of the abducted woman called the security forces to the scene.

    St. Mary and St. Michael church was the scene on November 24, 2010 of severe clashes between State Security forces and Copts protesting over the closure of their church, during which the forces used tear gas and live ammunition against the protesters, resulting in the killing of three Copts, hundreds of injuries and the arrest of 176 Copts (AINA 11-27-2010);

    During the protests in Tahrir Square which, culminated in the ousting of President Mubarak, a period which witnessed the complete absence of the security forces from the streets, the congregation of St. Mary and St. Michael church was guarding the church, which was closed on November 24. On February 6, as soon as a few security officers came back on duty, they stormed the church and evicted the priest and the congregation who were keeping vigil there and holding services praying for peace in Egypt.

    On September 15, 2010, an Islamic Jihadist Forum called Islamic Atahadi (Challenge) Network, which is said to be an affiliate of Al-Qaida, published on its website under the title “Images of the Church under construction in the Pyramids and how to demolish it.” The Forum showed photos of St. Mary and St. Michael church in Talbiya, which was still under construction, gave its members instructions on how to demolish the church by using sugar; “An easy and affordable way for the demolition of the church before its completion, no need for demonstrations, no need for the use of weapons or explosives, you only need to introduce certain quantities of sugar, yes normal sugar.” They went on to explain how to introduce reasonable quantities of sugar inside the forms prepared for pouring the columns, “because sugar affects concrete and cancels the chemical reaction which makes the sand and gravel hold together with the cement.” They advised in their step by step instructions that timing was very important in the process; the best time being immediately before pouring the roof.

    Dr. Naguib Gabriel, head of the Egyptian Federation for Human Rights Organization, presented on February 10 a complaint to the Attorney-General on behalf of the people of the Omraniya area, against the Governor of Giza, and the former director of security in, Giza accusing them of being the cause of the murder of three of the Ormaniya Copts and causing sectarian strife.

    On February 8 sectarian violence broke out in the hamlet of Elias Hanna, in Samalut, Minya province when some 80 Muslims attacked a number of Copts because they attempted to pray in a house belonging to the Diocese since 2007. The Muslim attack resulted in the injury of 5 Copts. Nearly 6000 Copts living in the hamlet of Elias Hanna and three other neighboring villages have no church.

    On February 16 the Church of St. George in Rafah was torched, the walls of the church had writing saying “No to Christians in Muslim Land” (video).

    Continue Reading →

    Simon Wiesenthal most recent mail out.

    Posted on by

    I have to say, I was surprised by this forwarded email from the Simon Wiesenthal Centre. They are the last place I would have expected to have noticed the virulent and systemic antisemitism, no thats too soft a word, Jew hate in the Muslim world. Typically they don’t seem to do much other than raise the Nazi spectre as far as I know. I could be wrong, and perhaps they have done splendid work that I am unaware of, and I am ready to be corrected, but it seems to me that these guys walk one way and look behind them the whole time.

    Then I saw the video of the conference and realized that they still do not get it. Cherry picking abrogated Koranic verses out of the Koran to try and extricate Islam for any connection or guilt for the crescendo of bitter bile from those colostomy bags in the middle east as if it was just some kind of awful coincidence that so many say the same thing at the same time for no apparent reason.

    All I can say to Jewish people is, if you have your hopes pinned on these guys to inform you about the facts of the state of Jews in the world today, you better settle your affairs soon. Make sure your tombstone doesn’t have your actual name on it either.

    Eeyore

    Los Angeles — Muslim pro-democracy advocates joined with officials of the Simon Wiesenthal Center to denounce last week’s riot in front of Tunis’ main synagogue. Rabbi Hier called on Egyptian leaders and other pro-democracy leaders in the region to repudiate anti-Semitic rhetoric and violence that has accompanied some of the demonstrations calling for greater freedom in the Arab world.

    Egypt:

    …”Oh Allah, … kill them, down to the very last one.” Continue Reading →

    AL-QARADAWI SPEAKS IN TAHRIR SQUARE IN CAIRO

    Posted on by

    Thanks to Elder of Ziyon for the H/T

    13:00PM Prayers are being held Omar makram mosque and Qasr El-Dubbara church around Tahrir Square. A special prayer will be held for the revolution’s martyrs.

    12:56PM Al-Qaradawi calls on the “brave Egyptian army” to open the Rafah crossing so that Gazans can receive the supplies they need. Turning his attention to arab leaders, he says: “Don’t fight history, you can’t delay the day when it starts. The Arab world has changed.”

    12:40PM Al-Qaradawi praises the army’s statements on democratic transition and asks them to liberate Egypt from Mubarak’s cabinet.

    12:33PM Al-Qaradawi extols Egyptians to persevere with their revolution as it “continues to build a new Egypt” and should be “protect[ed] from hypocrites.” He condemns the regime for being the source of sectarianism in Egypt while in “here in Tahrir”, Christians and Muslims strove side-by-side for their revolution.

    12:19PM Yusuf Al-Qaradawi gives the Friday sermon from a podium in Tahrir Square to the hundreds of thousands in attendance. He praises the January 25 revolution, describing it as an “educated” one. Al-Qaradawi adds that it was not only Mubarak Egypt’s youths defeated, they also defeated injustice and oppression.

    12:12PM Prominent Islamic scholar Yusuf Al-Qaradawi is preparing to deliver the Friday prayer sermon in Tahrir Square. According to OnIslam.net, Al-Qaradawi was invited to give the sermon by youth activists grateful for his support of the revolution to oust the ruling regime.

    12:05PM Meanwhile, a pro-Mubarak rally is reported to be taking place in Mohendiseen attended by around 100 people.

    CBS Correspondent brutally attacked and raped by crowd in Egypt

    Posted on by

    Image: CBS Correspondent Lara Logan in Cairo

    Reuters
    CBS Correspondent Lara Logan is pictured in Cairo’s Tahrir Square moments before she was assaulted in this photograph taken on Friday, Feb. 11.

    The Associated Press
    NEW YORK — CBS News correspondent Lara Logan was recovering in a U.S. hospital Tuesday from a sexual attack and beating she sustained while reporting on the tumultuous events in Cairo.

    Logan was in the city’s Tahrir Square on Friday after Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak stepped down when she, her team and their security “were surrounded by a dangerous element amidst the celebration,” CBS said in a statement Tuesday.

    The network described a mob of more than 200 people “whipped into a frenzy.” Continue Reading →

    IPT: IS YUSUF AL-QARADAWI EGYPT’S NEW KHOMEINI……?

    Posted on by

    The Tundra Tabloids believes that it’s very plausible for the next Egyptian regime to have a solid Muslim Brotherhood backing, in other words, ‘their guy’, while they remain in the background pulling strings. If they have indeed learned from the Turk’s AKP party, led by the likes of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister of Turkey, then the Middle East has become that much more dangerous.

    They only need to slowly Islamize the country in increments to achieve their goal of a fully Islamic state whose judicial system will be a fully Islamic one. The rise of fundamuslims to roles of state importance will only be a matter of time as the secularists are squeezed out. That’s what has occurred in Turkey, where for an instance, Turkish airlines has its jobs doled out to those with bona fide Muslim credentials, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that camels are being sacrificed by maintenance crews celebrating a job well done.

    Just think of what the Leftist media will say after the Muslim Brotherhood does indeed take over… and nothing happens, at first. Life  in Egypt continues, with a little change here, and another tweak there, a little sharia enforcement here and a few years later and further down the road, one change after another begins to happen, and what we warned about is de facto reality. KGS

    There are a number of similarities between Qaradawi and Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini. Both operated as charismatic Islamists fighting against secular, autocratic regimes. Khomeini made broadcasts in exile from Paris; today, Qaradawi hosts a popular talk show on Al Jazeera called “Sharia and Life.” Like Khomeini, Qaradawi is a virulent anti-Semite. He has lauded Hitler for putting Jews in their place and expressed hope he would die a martyr trying to kill Jews.

    What makes the situation so dangerous, according to Smith, is the fact that the Egyptian party system offers no credible opposition leader as an alternative to President Hosni Mubarak. Mubarak’s National Democratic Party is likely to crumble when he leaves, making the Muslim Brotherhood the country’s best organized party.

    More here

    Mubarak slammed U.S. in phone call with Israeli MK before resignation

    Posted on by

    From Haaretz:

    Hosni Mubarak had harsh words for the United States and what he described as its misguided quest for democracy in the Middle East in a telephone call with an Israeli lawmaker a day before he quit as Egypt’s president.

    The legislator, former cabinet minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, said on TV Friday that he came away from the 20-minute conversation on Thursday with the feeling the 82-year-old leader realized “it was the end of the Mubarak era”.

    “He had very tough things to say about the United States,” said Ben-Eliezer, a member of the Labor Party who has held talks with Mubarak on numerous occasions while serving in various Israeli coalition governments.

    “He gave me a lesson in democracy and said: ‘We see the democracy the United States spearheaded in Iran and with Hamas, in Gaza, and that’s the fate of the Middle East,'” Ben-Eliezer said.

    “‘They may be talking about democracy but they don’t know what they’re talking about and the result will be extremism and radical Islam,'” he quoted Mubarak as saying. Continue Reading →

    George W. Bush’s Liberal Legacy

    Posted on by

    From Der Spiegel:

    A Commentary by Jan Fleischhauer

    Former U.S. President George W. Bush taken at his book signing in December 2010.
    ZoomAP
    Former U.S. President George W. Bush taken at his book signing in December 2010.

    Suddenly it seems everyone knew all along that President Mubarak was a villain and the US, who supported him until recently, was even worse. However it was actually former President George W. Bush who always believed in the democratization of the Muslim world and was broadly ridiculed by the Left for his convictions.

    The West, it seems, is guilty. It is good to get that cleared up. Wherever there is an outpouring of public rage, as is happening now in the Arab world, censure must fall on America, the great Satan. The US is always in the dock. When indignation is required, one simply cannot go wrong by blaming the US. And Israel too of course, but only as a follow-up by those in enlightened circles who like to take history into consideration.

    The current accusation is that the US supported the corrupt regime in Egypt and thus betrayed its values.

    Aside from the fact that the Germans never have to resort to abandoning their principles because they do not play any significant role in foreign affairs, it must be said that this is, unfortunately, the way realpolitik operates. Whoever represents the interests of the free world cannot be too choosy about his allies or he could end up alone.

    The free world has fewer friends outside Europe than it would care to admit. It would obviously be desirable to work exclusively with governments who share our democratic beliefs. That would only leave Israel in the region that we are currently watching with such fascination, as only Israel guarantees full, Western human rights to its citizens, including women, homosexuals and dissidents. But somehow that would also not be right.

    A Shift in Liberal Sympathies Continue Reading →