Catholic spokesman: Egyptian government complicit in church burnings
October 12, 2011
The spokesman for the Catholic Church has charged that Egyptian government officials have been complicit in the burning of churches.
“The governor gave the green light for the fundamentalists to burn the church near Aswan,” said Father Rafic Greiche. “It’s the fourth time in recent months that a church has been burnt in this way by Islamists.”
Referring to the recent violence against peaceful Coptic Christian protestors, Father Greiche said that “the army and the police … used vagabonds, a rabble force of street fighters, to attack the demonstrators.”
“The army and the police are confronting the Copts. This is the problem. It is not a Christian-Muslim problem anymore.”
“People, not just Christians but many Muslims, too, are frightened for the future of our country,” he added.
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Further information:
- Christian demonstrators killed in Egypt (Aid to the Church in Need)
- Egypt: police open fire on Coptic Christian protestors; dozens slain (CWN, 10/10)
- Coptic Catholic Church (CNEWA)
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