HONOLULU (AP) — President Barack Obama has condemned deadly New Year’s Eve attacks in Egypt and Nigeria.
In a statement, Obama says the perpetrators of an attack on an Egyptian church have no respect for human life or dignity. He says those responsible for the bomb that killed at least 21 people must be brought to justice for “this barbaric and heinous act.” The bombing enraged Christians in Egypt who often complain of discrimination at the hands of Egypt’s Muslim majority.
In a statement, Obama says the perpetrators of an attack on an Egyptian church have no respect for human life or dignity. He says those responsible for the bomb that killed at least 21 people must be brought to justice for “this barbaric and heinous act.” The bombing enraged Christians in Egypt who often complain of discrimination at the hands of Egypt’s Muslim majority.
Obama also says a separate attack near an army barracks in Abuja, Nigeria demonstrates the “bankrupt vision” of those who carry out the attacks. At least four people were killed and 21 wounded while celebrating the new year.
Obama says the U.S. will offer any necessary assistance to Egypt and Nigeria.
(Sarkozy) Attack in Egypt: "an indiscriminate and cowardly crime"
By Abdel Fattah Hussein
President Nicolas SarkozyNicolas Sarkozy on Saturday denounced a "blind and cowardly crime" and expressed "great emotion" in a letter to his Egyptian counterpart, Hosni MubarakHosni Mubarak, following the attack that killed 21 people at a Coptic church Alexandria (north).
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday led condemnation of a New Year's Day bomb attack in a Coptic church in Egypt that claimed 21 lives, urging world leaders to defend Christians against abuse.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church was the first religious leader to react to the bombing which targeted worshippers as they emerged from a midnight mass in Alexandria.
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (AFP) – Egypt said a suicide bomber killed 21 people and wounded 79 outside a Coptic church on Saturday, in an attack President Hosni Mubarak said was the work of "foreign hands."
Egypt Weighs Easing Rules on Building New Churches
Written by David E. Miller Published Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Regulations make it almost impossible for Copts to erect or repair their houses of worship
Egypt’s government is weighing changes to laws that make it virtually impossible for the country’s Christians to build or expand a church.
No law regulates erecting houses of worship, but building a new church in Egypt requires a presidential permit, as well as security clearance from Egypt's State Security Intelligence. The procedure can take years winding its way through Egypt’s bureaucracy or may never get approval at all.
Hon. Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, and Hon. Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, issued the following statement condemning Al-Qaida’s naming of Coptic Christians in Canada on their website
Ottawa, December 21, 2010 – The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, and the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, today issued the following statement condemning Al-Qaida’s naming of Coptic Christians in Canada on their website:
“Our government strongly condemns threats made on the internet by hateful fanatics against adherents to the Coptic Orthodox Christian faith in Canada and abroad.”
Verdict in Egyptian Copt killings trial expected mid-January
Cairo - An Egyptian court is expected to hand down its verdict against three men charged with shooting Coptic Christians outside a church in the south of the country on January 16, a judicial source said Sunday.
Gunmen opened fire on parishioners leaving a Coptic Christmas Eve mass in January this year in Nagaa Hamadi town, 650 kilometres south of Cairo. Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7.
United Nations (AINA) -- Thousands of Egyptian American Copts, led by Coptic bishops and clergymen representing other Christian denominations, protested on December 14 in front of the United Nations in New York against the on-going opersecution of their Coptic brethren in Egypt (video of rally).
Coptic movement in Australia urges Kevin Rudd to express concern over Coptic persecution in Egypt
Australian Coptic Movement Association
The Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, the Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, has today attended a meeting with His Excellency, President Mohammad Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. The two are set to host Middle Eastern peace talks, in a rare visit by a senior Cabinet minister to Egypt.
Given the nature of this meeting, the Australian Coptic Movement (ACM) have issued a statement, stating that it would have been only appropriate that the Hon. Kevin Rudd convey the concerns of the Australian Government and the people, over the state of affairs pertaining to Egypt’s Indigenous Coptic Population of over 10 million.
'Coptic Blood is Not Cheap' Says Egyptian Coptic Pope
By Mary Abdelmassih
(AINA) -- During his weekly sermon on Wednesday November 8 at St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo, Coptic Pope Shenouda III said "Coptic Blood is not Cheap," referring to the Coptic young men killed after security forces opened fire on them on November 24. In response to a query from a Copt in the audience as to what was the church doing for the 157 Copts detained and charged in connection with the incident of St. Mary and St. Michel's Church in Talbiya, the Pope said "We are doing our best in this matter."
Pope Shenouda speaks out on behalf of the victims of the Omrania violence last month
Egypt’s patriarch, Pope Shenouda III, has announced that the Coptic community will not forget the blood of those who died during the events at the Omrania church last month.
During his weekly sermon on Wednesday evening, the pope insisted that the church will do its best to bring justice to the victims and punish all the perpetrators, adding that Coptic blood is not cheap.
Copts Rally At Egyptian Supreme Court, Demand Release of Detainees
Cairo (AINA)
Dozens of Copts and a number of Muslims protested on December 4th in front of the Supreme Court in Cairo to call attention to the use of deadly force by State Security against Coptic protesters, which occurred on November 24 in Talbiya, Giza. The clashes between Copts and security forces resulted in 4 Coptic deaths as well as 120 injuries (AINA 12-3-2010).
The Associated Press CAIRO -- Hundreds of Christians smashed cars and windows and tried to assault a municipal building in Cairo Wednesday after police violently stopped the construction of a church, leaving one person dead and underscoring serious Egypt's sectarian tensions.
Hijab woman Carnita Matthews sentenced to six months' jail
A MUSLIM woman who accused a New South Wales police officer of forcibly removing her face veil has been sentenced to six months' jail.
Carnita Matthews, 46, of Woodbine in Sydney's south, had in August pleaded not guilty to one charge of knowingly making a false complaint relating to events in June.
Memorial service for the martyrs of Church of Deliverance Massacre 31 October 2010
At Holy Trinity Church4 Brook Green, London, W6 7BL
On 12 November 2010
Father Nizar Samaan in his sermon: History will disgrace all of us if we do not expose to the world what happened, raise our voice, condemn the killing, and do our best to prevent it happening again.
We all for Iraq and Iraq for all of us, we will not leave Iraq and will not allow terrorism to win.
The murderers are not the only responsible for the massacre but who ever incites them are equally responsible.
We need to hear condemnation not only from politicians but now we need Islamic Authorities Fatwas to say killing the innocent of what ever religion is forbidden in Islam. Fatwa’s are issued for trivial matters but this is very important issue and we need to hear Fatwa now.
Geert Wilders hate speech trial collapses in Netherlands
Retrial ordered after it emerged that one of the judges in the case had tried to sway a potential witness
Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders (right) in court on the final day of arguments in his trial for hate speech. Photograph: Koen Van Weel/AFP/Getty Images
The hate speech trial of the controversial far-right Dutch leader, Geert Wilders, collapsed in disarray at the last minute today when the panel of judges in the case were deemed to be biased. A retrial was ordered.
The couple stayed for almost a month at the Landmark Hotel in London
A Saudi prince has been convicted of murdering his manservant, who was found beaten to death in bed at a plush London hotel. The defendant spent most of the trial trying to prove he was not gay. Why?
Before his trial began at the Old Bailey, Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Nasir al Saud made strenuous efforts to keep the question of his homosexuality secret.
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (AFP) – Egypt said a suicide bomber killed 21 people and wounded 79 outside a Coptic church on Saturday, in an attack President Hosni Mubarak said was the work of "foreign hands."
