Persecution Magazine, August 2013 2/5

PERSECU ION International Christian Concern | August 2013

Egyptians took to the streets early July to protest President Morsi.

ISSUE 2/5

Egypt: The Islamists Show Their Teeth B Y M I C H E L L E PA R K A N D J E F F K I N G

Imagine Islamists attacking the Vatican and killing Catholic worshipers. What if the Italian police that were called to quell the violence joined in the attack on the worshippers? What if those same fictitious Islamists laid siege to the Vatican, trapping worshipers there all night as they threw Molotov cocktails and shot at them?

Well the equivalent recently happened in Egypt this April, as Islamists attacked St. Mark’s Cathedral (the Coptic papal seat) in central Cairo. The Coptic pope, in response, blasted the Egyptian President Morsi, saying the attack “breached all red lines.” Beyond the attack, the Coptic pope said Egypt was collapsing.

The attack on the “Coptic Vatican” is shocking enough, but

the casual follower of events in Egypt could be excused for not becoming alarmed, thinking that it is just another sad chapter in the long-term, ongoing, sectarian violence between Christians and Muslims.

The only problem is that the attacks go way beyond the Christians: President Morsi’s government recently convicted and sentenced 27 employees of various NGOs for inciting unrest. These workers came from organizations like Freedom House, International Center for Journalists, Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation, International Democratic Institute, and the National Democratic Institute.

Incredibly, these groups have all been ordered to close and surrender all their assets. The NGOs had been working

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hand-in-hand with the government to promote democracy and were even given permission to monitor the democratic election until December 2011 when armed raids began.

A N E W I S L A M I S T S TAT E

Sadly, these two vignettes are representative of hundreds of others that signal that democracy in Egypt is dying, and Islamists are attempting to create a theocracy.

While the popular press has characterized the revolution in Egypt as a historic democratic movement, the truth is that Islamist radicals (who have the same core belief and ultimate goal as al-Qaeda) have hijacked what was truly a move of the people to bring democracy to Egypt. In fact, Islamic radicals (the Muslim Brotherhood) are now firmly in the political driver’s seat in Egypt.

This is stunning to say the least, because Egypt has been largely viewed as a modern and moderate Islamic country for the last 40 years. In fact, Egypt was the one Muslim country that signed a historic peace treaty with Israel!

While the press characterized the revolution as a historic democratic movement, Islamic radicals are now firmly in the political driver’s seat.

Financially supported by the Saudis and Qataris (as well as their own investments), they are the thought-leaders and strategists of radical Islam and have touched or influenced most of the successful political or military movements of Sunni Islam of the last 30 years.

Four years ago, no one could have seen this coming; today’s reality on the ground would be seen as an absurd and alarmist fantasy by any who would have laid it out as a ALLAH IS OUR OBJECTIVE; prophecy of Egypt’s near THE QURAN IS OUR LAW; THE future. In a relative moment, Islamic radicalism has taken PROPHET IS OUR LEADER; JIHAD over another country.

THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD

IS OUR WAY; AND DEATH FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH IS THE HIGHEST OF OUR ASPIRATIONS.

The only difference between the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda would be in their tactics and strategy. They both fight for individual nations, and eventually the whole world to be under Sharia law. The Brotherhood, being very savvy politically, believes in a gradual and strategic approach, while alQaeda wants to achieve the goal immediately, and only knows brute force.

The political party in conMUSLIM BROTHERHOOD CREDO trol of Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood, is a political, social, and religious organization that started in Egypt in the 1930s by Hassan al-Banna, a radical Islamist scholar who The driving credo of the Muslim Brotherhood is “Allah is sought to turn all Muslims (and the states they lived in) back our objective; the Quran is our law; the Prophet is our leadto the fundamentals of Islam. Its goal was, and is, to bring er; Jihad is our way; and death for the sake of Allah is the Egypt and the world into line with the principles and com- highest of our aspirations.” mands of Muhammad as laid out in the Quran and Hadiths.

THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD’S The Muslim Brotherhood was suppressed for 80 years in C O N S O L I D AT I O N O F P O W E R Egypt by the British and subsequent Egyptian governments, including Hosni Mubarak, but they never stopped growing These are the people who have stolen the revolution and are in influence and power. tightening their political control and grip over Egypt every

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Pro-democracy activists at the time of the writing of this article are carrying out a massive protest in Tahrir Square (where the revolution began) in June.

day. Political power in Egypt is purposefully divided, as it is in the U.S., among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Just as important, but not an official organ of power, is the military. There is also the press which is influential, but to a much lesser degree than in a real democracy.

cent NGO lawsuit scandal points to this trend of the Muslim Brotherhood’s fast encroaching take-over.

Currently, Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood are in full control of the executive and legislative branches. They have partial control of the military and are increasingly gaining control of the judiciary and press. Egyptian judge Ayman Fouad laments that judges who pass decisions contrary to the Muslim Brotherhood’s interests are removed from their positions and even physically beaten. The verdict on the re-

The government’s heavy-handedness towards its citizens is increasingly apparent.

OH ALLAH, GRANT US VICTORY OVER THE INFIDELS. OH ALLAH, DESTROY THE JEWS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS. OH ALLAH, DISPERSE THEM, REND THEM ASSUNDER. -PRAYER OF A MUSLIM CLERIC, IN WHICH PRESIDENT MOHAMMED MORSI WAS SEEN NODDING IN AGREEMENT

THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD’S H E AV Y - H A N D E D N E S S

The cries of the afflicted Coptic Christians, who comprise 10 percent of the Egyptian population, are growing louder.

Salafist-led attacks on churches have become a weekly ritual for the Islamists who declare Christian churches illegal. In February 2013, St. Georgas Coptic Church in Sarsena was completely burned to the ground and some members of the church were injured. The police were present at the event, doing nothing to stop the destruction. The police are often seen behind sectarian violence against Christians.

Morsi’s participation in a nationally televised Friday service at el-Tenaim Mosque confirmed his loyalty to the Muslim Brotherhood fundamentalist agenda. As the cleric prayed the following prayer, Morsi was seen nodding in agreement: “Oh Allah, grant us victory over the infidels. Oh Allah, destroy the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, disperse them, rend them asunder. Oh Allah, demonstrate your might and greatness upon them. Show us your omnipotence, oh

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Lord.”

Sadly, most Egyptians now realize that they ousted one dictator, only to crown a new pharaoh: Mohammed Morsi.

W H AT I S T H E U . S . D O I N G ?

Despite all of this, U.S. aid is still devotedly flowing into Egypt. In fact, the U.S. has actually increased its aid in terms of unplanned transfers of cash and advanced weapons, including F-16s. The U.S. did this in spite of the fact that Morsi and the Brotherhood have threatened to wipe Israel off the map and have moved tanks into the Sinai, which is forbidden under their historic treaty with Israel.

Why the U.S. has chosen to reward this group of radical Islamists that stole power from moderate Muslims and Christians and have run roughshod over the rights of its people is beyond understanding. Why we advanced aid without a tie-in with basic human rights, again, is unfathomable.

In interviews conducted by International Christian Concern, Egyptians say that U.S. actions are incomprehensible. They assume there is some sort of “deal” worked out behind closed doors between the Muslim Brotherhood and United States.

COUNTER RE VOLUTION?

It is increasingly becoming obvious to many Egyptians that the Muslim Brotherhood is incapable of governing a country.

Egypt’s economy is collapsing with unemployment, now officially over 13 percent, which is considered an underestimate. The unemployment rate is much higher for the discriminated minorities. Tourism, the cornerstone of the Egyptian economy, has also collapsed as instability and violence continue to characterize the country.

Christians fear the worst. Many have taken flight, voting with their feet. While the Christian population used to hover around 20 percent, it could be as low as five percent.

Morsi’s initial 57 percent approval rate has dropped to 28 percent, disdain for him is increasing. The encouraging thing in this dire situation is that the original coalition of moderate Muslims and Christians from the 2011 revolution is coming back together and their voice is strengthening.

A petition to force Morsi to step down has gathered 22 million signatures. Pro-democracy activists at the time of the writing of this article are carrying out a massive protest in Tahrir Square (where the revolution began) in June. They 4

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A petition to force Morsi to step down has gathered 22 million signatures.

are refusing to back down. Incredibly, the military has come out on TV saying they will fix things if Morsi doesn’t listen to the protestors.

Sadly, the U.S. and our ambassador are trying to squelch the protests and calls for democracy. Pro-democracy elements in Egypt now refer to the U.S. as the Muslim Brotherhood’s stooge. One opposition leader, Shady el-Ghazali Harb, said the U.S. had earned its administration “the enmity of the Egyptian people.”

A FORK IN THE ROAD

Egypt stands at a fork in the road. Whether it tips into a fundamentalist Islamist theocracy, or a new and truly democratic awakening, remains to be seen.

The Muslim Brotherhood’s power and control of the nationstate is increasing every day. After waiting in the wings for 80 years, they will not give up without a brutal fight. They view their grab of power as directed by Allah. They are on a holy and historic mission and are willing to use brutality and even die for their cause. They are also organized, well-funded, and politically savvy. Sadly, this hand is hard to beat.

We remember what some Christians told ICC and other Western Christians when the revolution was just beginning: many felt that the Lord had told them that they would go through a period of brutal oppression that would last for a number of years.

Regardless of the future, the present is simply stunning.

Egypt is truly a prima facie case for the surprising spread of radical Islam.

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