Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

The press reported on sectarian clashes in Samastā, in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Beni Sweif. Six soldiers and two officers were injured when Copts, who had gathered in front of the police station, threw stones at them.

 

Clashes between Muslims and Christians had occurred when a 19-year old Coptic man, ‘Ayyād Sha‘bān, had a love affair with a Muslim girl and agreed to get married after he converted to Islam.

 

Al-Ahrām of April 19, 2010 reported that 400 Copts protested in front of the police station in Samastā, protesting against a Muslim farmer’s attempt to convince a Coptic man to adopt Islam. Rumors had spread about the Coptic young man being hidden in the police station. The security forces formed cordons around the region.

 

On April 21, 2010 al-Akhbār published that the attorney in Beni Sweif resumed investigations into the attacks against the police station.

 

Al-Misrī al-Yawm of April 21 published that Bishop Stephanus of Bibā, al-Fashn and Samastā called the Azhar Grand Imām Shaykh Ahmad al-Tayyib, calling on him to return the Coptic man, thought to be held by security forces.

 

In a related context, a responsible source at the Azhar declared that their procedures taken with people wanting to convert to Islam are all correct, asserting that there is always coordination with the security apparatus and the Church leadership. The source also confirmed that the young Coptic man came to proclaim Islam of his own will, and no one obliged him to do so. Al-Misrī al-Yawm published that the young Copt was 17 years old and not 19. The Azhar source however, declared that the proclaiming Islam does not require the convert to be an adult over the age of over 18.[Editor: which is not true. The minimum age of conversion was raised years ago to 18. Many Copts would like this age to be raised to 21 but this has not been done so far]