Sunday, December 18, 2016

EGYPT - The Imam of al Azhar visits Patriarch Tawadros after the massacre in the church: "foreign hands behind terrorism"

Sheikh Ahmed al Tayyib, Grand Imam of al-Azhar, led the high-level delegation of the largest Sunni theological center, who Wednesday paid a visit at the headquarters of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate to bring his condolences to Patriarch Tawadros II and of the whole Coptic Church, after the massacre carried out last Sunday in the chapel in Boutroseya next to the Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark, which killed at least 26 people. 

The target of terrorist attacks, which "do not make any distinction between Christians and Muslims" - stressed the Sunni leader - is "the unity of the Egyptian people", while the terror agencies that bloody Egypt have their bases "abroad" and their irrational design end up overwhelming even those forces and power groups. 

Patriarch Tawadros referred to the 14 centuries of coexistence between Christians and Muslims who lived in Egypt, a long history that also helps them to cope even with the trials and tribulations they endure to build the common homeland.

Meanwhile, messages of the Islamic State (Daesh) claiming the massacre of the Copts were broadcast via Internet, glorifying Abu Abdullah, the suicide bomber who blew himself "among the crusaders, causing between 80 dead and wounded''. Also the photo of the bomber with machine guns, camouflage and forefinger towards the sky was released.