Egypt: Court Releases Preacher Detained for Blasphemy

Source:
allAfrica.com
Date of source:
25 Feb 2013
Reference:

A criminal court ruled on Monday to release Islamic preacher Ahmed Abdullah, known as "Abu Islam", on bail of 20, 000 Egyptian pounds in a blasphemy case.

Prosecution had ordered on Saturday the detention of Abu Islam, who owns the religious al-Omma satellite channel, for four days pending investigation over an allegation of insulting religions.

Coptic lawyer Naguib Gabriel had come forward to the general prosecutor with a legal complaint against Abu Islam, accusing him of insulting the Christian faith and Egypt's women but specifically those who are Christian.

A recorded footage of Abu Islam saying that 90 percent of female protesters who head to Tahrir Square are Christian, referring to them as "crusaders", had circulated the internet.

In the video, Abu Islam also says that these females go to demonstrations half naked with the purpose of getting raped.

The same Islamic preacher had once torn a copy of the bible in front of the American mission in Cairo during September protests against an anti-Islam film that sparked violence in Islamic countries.