Lord have Mercy

According to Sout El Ouma newspaper, the following churches were also attacked alongside the Mary Gerges one: Ibn Zahroun Church in Ghourbal El Anba Teckla church in Al-Ebrahemia Gheit El Enab church in Karmouz Also reported the destruction of 4 cars owned by christians (they set them on fire alongside the police cars) , a couple of stores owned by christians attacked and one liqiour store set on fire. One of the only 2 christian NDP candidates and one running in Alexandria, whose rival happens to be from the MB, has just withdrawn his candidacy in protest to what's going. The Coptic candidate of the ruling National Democratic Party in Alexandria, Maher Khella, was in a fiery mood insisting that the play at issue did not convey an anti-Islamic message. "The demonstrators burned copies of the Gospel yesterday. This is unacceptable and right now we cannot even accept excuses," he told AFP. "I have presented a request to my party demanding my candidacy in the elections be withdrawn in an attempt to defuse the tension," added Khella, one of only two Copts on the ruling party's list of 444 candidates for next month's polls. He also said what I have been saying for a week: this is nothing but a ploy by the MB candidates to ensure winning the parliamentarian seats in alexandria districts. But political leaders and security officials said Islamic extremists distributed the DVDs in an effort to tarnish a Coptic Christian candidate running in next month's parliamentary elections for Alexandria's impoverished Ghorbal constituency. Maher Khalah, one of two Copts running on the ruling National Democratic Party ticket in this mainly Sunni Muslim country, announced Saturday that he was withdrawing from the race to prevent any recurrence of the violence. "This violence is not about the DVD, it is all about the elections," Khalah told The Associated Press. But don't worry kids. Pope Shenouda and Sheikh Tantawi are going to save the day. In a joint statement, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Shenouda III, and Egypt's highest Islamic authority, Grand Sheik of al-Azhar Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi, urged Christians and Muslims not to resort to violence. "We call on everyone to be calm so we can spread the grace of peace, security and affection among us," the religious leaders said. "If something happened and was misunderstood, then it is our duty to deal with it in the spirit of dialogue and understanding." And you know how much credibility and influence Sheikh Tantawi has on Egypt's population. When that guy says something, muslims all over egypt listen tentavly and then immedietly continue to ignore him. It's a good thing that the police is protecting the churches in Alexandria now. I just hope this shit doesn't reach Cairo or other places in Egypt. The MB could quickly spin the whole thing as the government being against Islam and doesn't care about muslims and their sentiments, and inflame other areas as well for their own goals and purposes. And judging by how fast this situation in Alex escelated, it wouldn't be too hard for them to do it. Sigh.. I am officially depressed. No more blogging today.