Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

The excerpts of this text come from MEMRI. Cornelis Hulsman provided comments in the text.

'Adel Darwish, a columnist for the London-based daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, wrote that the terrorists who perpetrated the 9/11 attacks were the product of the mentality, media, and education in the Arab and Muslim world, and berated the Arabs and Muslims for not learning a lesson from the attacks and working to fix these flaws, instead of clinging to conspiracy theories about 9/11.[1]

Muhammad Shawqī al-Islāmbūlī, brother of Khālid al-Islāmbūlī (murderer of the late Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadāt), will return to Cairo today (August 28, 2011) coming from Iran, after 20 years of living outside Egypt.

He will then be transfered to al-'Aqrab prison, under tight security measures, immediately after his return.

Shaykh Muhammad Yāsīn, leader in al-Jamā'ah al-Islāmīyah, said that after the return of Islāmbūlī and Mustafá Hāmid (Abū al-Walī), there will be no elements of the group outside Egypt.

Shubrāh al-Khaymah erupted after the unfortunate events in the region following the harassment by some of the Christian youth in the area of a Muslim girl. Both a Muslim and a Christian died.

The formation of the new Egyptian cabinet has been again delayed, a day after Prime Minister 'Isām Sharaf was sent to the hospital due to exhaustion.

Despite indications of a resurgence of Islamist sentiments in the country, a recent poll given to protesters has shown that a majority favor a civil government and will vote purely based on candidate reputation.

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 Al-Sharq al-Awsat translated an article by David Kirkpatrick, writer for the New York Times, who comments on an incident, first published by al-Wafd, about a girl called Raghdah who reportedly said that Christians kidnapped her and tattooed her hand with a cross.

"Many Coptic Christians are concerned about persecution or the loss of rights under a predominantly Muslim government," Kirkpatrick added.

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Organisation of The Islamic Conference (OIC) [Reviewer's Note: The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations which has membership of 57 states spread over four continents. The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world and ensuring to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world (OIC Website).] is looking in its upcoming meeting in Kazakhstan on June 28, 2011, to changing its name and slogan.

This decision came to accommodate the changes being experienced throughout the Islamic world.

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83 years after the founding of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), the MB has, for the first time, handed over its official documents for its party "Freedom and Justice."

The new founders of the party included 93 Christians and 978 women. Dr. Rafīq Habīb was chosen to be the deputy president of the party.

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Dr. Sa'd al-Dīn Ibrāhīm, a professor of political sociology and president of Ibn Khaldūn center for development studies, said in an interview with al-Sharq al-Awsat that Copts had legitimate fears from religious movements and hard-line Muslim preachers have to put their fears in consideration.

He added that the Muslim Brotherhood will win 30-40 percent of votes in the coming elections because they are the most organized and wealthiest.

He wishes that salafī movements disappear from the scene because their practices are undermining Islam itself.

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In al-Hayāh, page 2, May 16, 2011, a score of Egyptians, mostly Copts, were injured in clashes that erupted between participants in a protest around the television building in Maspero area. Un-known people attacked the protest on May 14, 2011, where a number of cars and stores were set on fire. Additionally, Coptic Pope Shenouda III had called for an end to the protest and warned that rulers may run out of patience.

Diana Maqalad writes about the new mass media coverage of the sectarian incidents.

The Imbābah incidents, particularly the video of a bearded man [salafī] who said, "we are not going to be real men if we did not burn the churches in Imbābah."

Even if this video was banned by the traditional media, it will not make a difference since it was already shown by the modern media [the Internet and social networking sites] which cannot be controlled.

The Azhar, the army and the government are still coming short of offering a new language and concept for the people.

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