Recent attacks on Copts cannot be understood exclusively as militant resistance to authoritarianism in Egypt.
A Coptic mass following recent church bombings. PA Images. All rights reserved.
When ISIS claimed responsibility for the recent bombings of two Coptic churches in Egypt, and named the suicide bombers involved, it also issued yet another warning to the “crusaders.” It said: “the bill between us and them is very great and they will pay for it with rivers of their children’s blood, God willing.”
Read more: Copts of Egypt: more than political pawns for ISIS and el-Sisi
- Details
Copts of Egypt: from survivors of sectarian violence to targets of terrorism
Professor Mariz Tadros
Power and popular politics cluster co-leader
Institute of Development Studies
University of Sussex
Recent bombings mark a new era in the religious targeting of Copts – one which is qualitatively different from previous patterns of sectarian violence.
Funeral of victims of Tanta city church bombing. PA Images. All Rights Reserved.
It is customary for Copts – Egypt’s roughly 9 million strong Christian population– to celebrate Palm Sunday at church, waving palm fronds and singing joyful chants that go back to ancient times to commemorate Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, days before his crucifixion. They did not expect the service to be interrupted by bodies being ripped apart.
On 9 April 2017, in the second largest church in the city of Tanta, a suicide bomber approached the alter and blew himself up. At least 29 people were killed and 71 injured, some gravely. Three hours later, a suicide bomber tried to enter St Mark’s Church in Alexandria where Pope Tawadros, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, was presiding over a service. The man was stopped by police, and denoted his bomb outside. At least 18 people died, with 35 wounded.
Read more: Copts of Egypt: from survivors of sectarian violence to targets of terrorism
- Details
Urgent Messages to the Muslim World
by Nonie Darwish
-
A dangerous message is being sent to the Muslim world by the West: There is nothing that moderate Muslims or anyone else should fear from radical Islamic terrorism! Look at us Western governments! We are bringing in refugees who cannot be vetted even if they are ISIS infiltrators. In fact, we in the West are so goodhearted that we are encouraging many organizations to operate legally in the West under the banner of the Muslim Brotherhood -- even organizations that are sympathetic to the terrorist group Hamas and that are pledging to overthrow us!
-
The West, by taking all the Syrian refugees, is emptying Syria of any kind of resistance to the Caliphate (ISIS). The West's compassion, by taking in the refugees escaping ISIS, will end up leaving only the radicals to rule unopposed in Syria and Iraq. This, in US foreign policy, is not compassion; it is gross negligence and reckless endangerment.
-
"Tough love" is badly needed when dealing with the Muslim world. We must say: No, we cannot accept your jihadist aspirations. We cannot accept you forcing your way of life on the world; your way of life is unacceptable to us. Before you send your refugees, you must end your "us against them" jihadist culture. The civilized world no longer finds your aspirations for an Islamic Caliphate tolerable.
- Details
Report: More Citizens of Saudi Arabia Have Joined Islamic State Than Any Other Country
by EDWIN MORA9 Mar 2017470
The Sunni Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) has boasted that key U.S. Middle East ally Saudi Arabia is the top provider of terrorists for the jihadist group in Iraq, reports Fox News, citing Iraqi military sources.
Sunni Saudi Arabia shares an estimated 500-mile-long border with war-ravaged Iraq.
Nevertheless, Fox News reports that the Saudi jihadists crossed into Iraq over the border the country shares with both Turkey and Syria.
The news outlet learned from unnamed Iraqi intelligence sources that jihadist from the Saudi kingdom comprise nearly one-third (up to 30 percent) of all ISIS terrorists in Iraq, adding that “Saudis comprise the largest single contingent of ISIS fighters, with Russian Chechens making up the second-largest contingent.”
Read more: Report: More Citizens of Saudi Arabia Have Joined Islamic State Than Any Other Country
- Details
%20-%20Blue%20Text_0.jpg)
Is it safe to go to Egypt?
Is it safe to go to Egypt? The short answer is “yes”. If you have glanced at your country’s travel warning for Egypt, go back and read it carefully – there are no travel warnings in place for Cairo, Alexandria, Red Sea, Luxor, Aswan or Nile Cruises – in fact those areas have a green light.
Egypt is as safe as anywhere else in the world, and safer that many western countries.
