The country has struggled with the growing problem of Islamic extremism since the military coup.
Perhaps Sisi’s intent in declaring a state of emergency is to give an appearance to Egyptians and the world that something tangible is being done to combat the forces of jihad that are plaguing Egypt and the rest of the region, with the goal of wiping out Christianity. These latest attacks have reportedly:
brought the total number of sectarian incidents against Copts to 26 in 2017, with a total of 88 killed including those at a major church bombing in December.
Coptic Christians have been fleeing Egypt by the tens of thousands since Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Morsi took over in 2012, creating a “new climate of fear and uncertainty,” After Morsi was toppled by a military coup in 2013, the Muslim Brotherhood blamed the nation’s Christians, and attacks upon them intensified.
Since the Islamic State has stepped up its attacks on Christians in Egypt, a renewed exodus “has intensified fears for the future for Christianity in the Middle East.”
Sisi has mastered the gift of words, but apparently not action. According to a February 2016 report in International Business Times:
Christians continue to complain of rampant and systemic discrimination, and they are virtually shut out from the political sphere. All church construction and repairs must be approved by authorities, and Christians in rural areas have frequently been on the receiving end of violent attacks. Human rights groups say crimes against Christians regularly go unpunished.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis, with his usual style of religious and political posturing, continues to speak in generic terms, instead of speaking plainly about the forces of Islamic jihad that are destroying his fellow Christians:
He asked God ”to convert the hearts of those who spread terror, violence and death, and also the hearts of those who make, and traffic in, weapons.”
At least 100,000 Christians are being martyred per year, according to statistics dating from 2013; that figure is likely much higher now, due to the emergence of the Islamic State.
“Egypt church bombing: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to declare three-month state of emergency after Isis attacks”, by Caroline Mortimer, Independent, April 9, 2017:
Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi is to declare a three-month state of emergency after Isis attacks on two Coptic churches kill at least 43 people.
Twin bombings during packed services at churches in the cities of Alexandria and Tanta came as worshippers were celebrating Palm Sunday – the start of the most holy week in the Christian calendar.
The first attack in the St George’s church in Tanta, north of Cairo in the Nile Delta, killed 27 people and wounded at least 78 more.
The second explosion came later at St Mark’s Cathedral in Alexandria – the historical seat of Christianity in Egypt – killed a further 16 and wounded 31 just after the Coptic Pope, Tawadros II, finished services.
Mr Sisi did not say what legal measures he would use to invoke the state of emergency but under the Egyptian constitution a parliamentary majority must vote in favour of it.
He accused countries he did not name of fuelling instability in Egypt, saying “Egyptians have foiled plots and efforts by countries and fascist, terrorist organisations that tried to control Egypt”.
The former army chief previously declared a state of emergency in the months following the ousting of the democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi in 2013 when his supporters staged mass demonstrations that descended into violence.
Ever since Mr Sisi’s government has cracked down on dissent and declared Mr Morsi’s party, the Muslim Brotherhood, a terror group.
Egypt’s Interior Ministry said a suicide bomber had tried to storm the entrance of St Mark’s but was stopped by police. Three of the victims in the Alexandria attack were police officers.
Roman Catholic Pope Francis denounced the attack which came a week before a scheduled trip to Cairo.
He expressed his “deep condolences” to his “brother” Pope Tawadros – who was unharmed in the blast – and the Coptic church. He said he was praying for the dead and the wounded as he marked Palm Sunday in Rome.
He asked God ”to convert the hearts of those who spread terror, violence and death, and also the hearts of those who make, and traffic in, weapons”.
Isis later claimed responsibility for both attacks with its propaganda arm, Amaq, claiming the bombers had used suicide vests.
The group had recently warned it would step up attacks on the Egyptian Christian community which makes up around 10 per cent of the population.
A local Isis affiliate group claimed a suicide bombing at a church in Cairo at the end of last year which killed around 30 people, mostly women, as well as a string of killings in the restive Sinai Peninsula which has caused hundreds of Christian to flee.
The country has struggled with the growing problem of Islamic extremism since the military coup…..

IQ al Rassooli says
Dear JW readers
As most of you are almost authorities on Islam, you must realize that al Sisi cannot win or stop the ERADICATION of Christianity from Egypt especially since ALL the Christians in Europe and the USA (especially pope Francis) have been DEAFENINGLY SILENT about the relentless and systematic obliteration of All Christians from Arab & Muslim lands for the last 16 years
The most efficient way of destroying Islam is by utterly discrediting Muhammad as a prophet and the alleged divine origin of his Quran as has been done in the attached video
I dare any Muslim or any of their brain dead supporters to prove anything I reveal about the depraved Muhammad and Islam in this video as either wrong or false
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTuFA1fQ-yg&feature=youtu.be&a
PLEASE spread all over the internet!
IQ al Rassooli
Kafir & Proud!
mortimer says
Agree with IQ. Mohammed must be debunked and his fabrications along with him. Everything in Islam is a cynical fabrication by the caliphs who created a religion to rival those of the Roman Christians and Zoroastrian Persians.
Muslims must be deprogrammed right out of Islam for their to be an end to jihad. Jihad and the canonical HATRED OF ALL KAFIRS (al Walaa wal Baraa) are NORMATIVE, COMPULSORY, ESSENTIAL doctrines of Islam that may NOT be reformed or abrogated since Mohammed is dead.
Islamic jihad is similar to a fully laden FREIGHT TRAIN charging at top speed towards a collapsed bridge with the engineer DEAD AT THE WHEEL with his DEAD HAND on the wide-open THROTTLE.
Dead Mohammed is telling Mohammedans to KILL, KILL, KILL… even though he is dead.
mortimer says
IQ correctly accuses church leaders of ‘silence’ in speaking in favor of the OPPRESSED (one of their jobs that they are neglecting). It would be fitting to accuse them of CLUELESSNESS and CARELESSNESS to learn about Islam’s HIDDEN DOCTRINES: the JIHAD doctrine, the KAFIR doctrine, the APARTHEID doctrine (al Walaa wal Baraa) and the TAQIYYA doctrine.
Without a mastery of those Islamic doctrines church leaders are CLUELESS and UNPREPARED to deal with Islam.
Robert W says
Thanks for your thoughtful comments.
One branch of the solution that you didn’t mention — but is crucial:
1. Trade Embargoes — stop the trade in military hardware and telecommunication hardware. We need to stop selling military stuff (firearms, tanks, jets, helicopters, missiles) to any government with an Islamic government. They don’t design or manufacture military hardware, so why do we sell them our stuff? They use the weapons they buy from us against us!
2. Appropriate all revenue from the oilfields in Islamic lands. The West discovered. developed, and managed the oilfields for the first 3 or 4 decades of their existence. But the Islamic regimes took them over mid-century or so, due to political turmoil. The West should take back what’s theirs — beginning with the revenue earned from those oilfields.
2. Take control of the oilfields back from the Islamic regimes. See point #2.
Frank says
Do keep in mind that the female muslim pollice officer guarding the church was killed while trying to stop the bomber. The president definitely talks too much and does very little to curb violence. If president Trump threaten Egypt with withholding yearly funds given, I am sure the problem will be corrected almost immediately.
Moses says
If it was Europe we could have been seeing hashtags,cries of islamaphobia,useless speeches about freedom and unity but yet nothing tangible would have been done.
Terry says
The same with most of the ones in the US-especially Obama and Clinton supporters. And the anti-Trump assholes.
Moses says
Western European leaders would have done nothing tangible.
DP111 says
One Greek community leader, Rev George Capsis, has gone so far as to warn Christians not to wear overt religious symbols when they are travelling though Muslim enclaves of southwestern Sydney.
But last Tuesday afternoon, 30-year-old Greek Orthodox Christian, Mike, discovered too late the risks of wearing a large cross outside his clothing while travelling on the train from Campsie to Bankstown with his girlfriend.
He says he was minding his own business talking on his mobile phone, when four young men of Middle Eastern appearance allegedly violently ripped the crucifix off his neck, and stomped on it while swearing “F*** Jesus” and referring to “Allah”.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rendezview/we-rush-to-condemn-islamophobia-what-about-antichristian-attacks/news-story/2bb6f9a158146e963355a6da3adbe70a
It seems the vast majority of Muslims misunderstand the RoP. How can this be?
gravenimage says
Deeply disturbing story, DP111. Thank you for the link.
Dov Berrol says
Egypt needs to return to its Coptic Christian roots and reverse its takeover by Arab Muslims centuries ago. All it needs is to have Al Sisi’s government pass an official law protecting Muslims who leave Islam. Al Sisi needs to convert to Christianity too in order to serve as a model for the newly reborn Coptic Egypt. Then the Jewish State of Israel and the Christian State of Egypt can work together for a more peaceful Islam-free Middle East. Muslims should be allowed to follow their traditions in private and offer their prayers in private, as long the laws of Egypt take precedence over Sharia Law and all violent Muslim jihadi acts are made illegal.
gravenimage says
I’m afraid I don’t see this happening, Dov. For one thing, al-Sisi would likely be immediately overthrown by Egyptian Muslims.
Vlad says
Excellent suggestions, no doubt, but who and how is going to implement them? At the present state of affairs they look more like a wishful thinking to me. I don’t believe you seriously consider the possibility of Al Sisi converting to Christianity.
miriamrove says
The only people that can help the copts arre acopts themselves. They are 10 million strong. m
Terry says
I agree, Mariamrove.
Terry says
And, we have seen how well those two (mis)adventures turned out, haven’t we?
I see another fiasco, and the loss of American blood and treasure. for nothing
gravenimage says
miriam, the Copts are “10 million strong” in a hostile country of 82 million. The Copts are badly outnumbered.
In a civilized country, such numbers could mean influence if they organized and demanded their rights; in a Muslim country–as you know–it will just make them bigger targets.
common sense says
Shouldn’t the US military just strike ISIS/ jihadi terror group strongholds in Egypt?
How about Egypt takes care of its people, this is Mohammedan bullying 101. What ever the gun laws are in Egypt the Jihadis certianly are not obeying them.
gravenimage says
The problem is that neither Tanta–just north of Cairo–nor Alexandria are ISIS strongholds.
These pious thugs are everywhere.
And Egypt under al-Sisi–while, thankfully, not actually violently targeting Christians themselves–have no real interest in protecting Christians any more than any other Muslim state does.
Dov Berrol says
Excellent idea. This business of Muslims creating separate Muslim Sharia states should be used by the Christians of the Middle East. And an independent Coptic state in Egyptian territory is a great start. How about Alexandria and the entire Sinai Peninsula to protect Mount Sinai with Israel? As a matter of fact, they could call the new country simply “Sinai”. Sinai and Israel could work to rebuild a safe and beautiful tourist Mecca as it once was.
Terry says
The US CANNOT be the policeman for the world; cannot unilaterally decide what an independent nation should or should not do. (Gassing of civilians is different).
This is Egypt’s problem and the Copts problem. NOT THE U..S. PROBLEM.
DFD says
Total Bullocks. Or is it total Taqyia?
Walter Sieruk says
The violent and vicious Muslims who are jihadists of ISIS in their murderous persecution of Christians, as in this specific example in Egypt, aren’t really going to get away with their destruction of Christians. As the apostle Paul had written each individual Christian is actually, in the View of God, a temple of God. For to Christians, it is written in the Bible “Don’t you know that that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s Temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” First Corinthians 3:16,17. [N.I.V.] As in “A man reaps what he sows.” Galatians 6:7.
TJ says
When I lived in Egypt in 2007, the locals were always worried what would happen to me since I as an American. They told me not to tell anyone where I was from. Dahab on the Red Sea was empty because they were bombing tourists there. When I went to an internet cafe, the owner would immediately shut the curtains so no one could see I was there. Men would come up to me on the street and try to lure me into lonely areas. The hotel had armed guards. Once I was surrounded by a circle of police at the airport in Sinai and they took turns shoving me around because I was white with blue eyes. I was told I must shave my beard because no one but jihadists could have beards. I refused to do this because I am a Nazarite. Egypt loses so much tourist money because of the troubles while Saudis rake in money off the scam of the koran. This racially charged book of sparse accounts that is the koran is like a rope around the neck of the Egyptians which makes living there much worse.
gravenimage says
Thanks for the view on the ground, TJ–and this was back in 2007, when things were (comparatively) stable under Mubarak. They are probably much worse now.
Walter Sieruk says
First, the heinous murders of those Christian in Egypt by the jihadist of ISIS should be of no actual surprise to anyone who understand such evil as this jihad entity, ISIS, for this demonic inspired entity will only spread like an infectious and deadly disease. As it started its wave in murdering Christians in Iraq at then Syria then Libya and now Egypt.
Second, An outlandishly false statement of extreme folly I saw for the first time on a tee-shirt a young man was wearing in the year 1974. Which had printed on it the saying “It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as your sincere.” That was statement of total falsehood and complete nonsense. For example, in the book entitled DEFYING ISIS by Johnnie Moore on page 30 it informs the reader about the jihadists who compose ISIS that “They sincerely believe they are doing justice by ridding the world of another generation of Christians, so they massacre them with pure joy.” In other words, the jihadist /Muslims of ISIS are sincere and thus believe and feel that they are “doing the right thing” by their brutal, cruel mass murder of Christians. Therefore, since the ISIS jihadists are sincere it followers, naturally, in their delusional Islamic mindset and worldview they actually “good intentions .” As strange, odd and ironic as this is. A semi-good way to explain this would is in history many Marxists had murdered many people to obtain the goal of the “greater good for a workers paradise.” In that aspect those murdering Marxists had “good intentions.” So in contrast to that foolishness and falsehood of folly false statement ,just sited above , is the tragic but true reality based statement .Which is that “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
gravenimage says
Yes, that is idiocy–as though “sincerity”, even fanaticism, were the only virtue.
gravenimage says
Egypt: After Islamic State bombings at churches, Sisi to declare three-month state of emergency
………………………..
Like Christine Williams, I wonder if this really means anything…
gravenimage says
I don’t see this happening, either, I’m afraid. East Timor was already majority-Christian–where the Copts have small surviving enclaves all over Egypt. And remember that the Muslims attempted full on genocide in East Timor.
Lebanon was majority-Christian until the past few decades, when invading “Palestinian” Muslims started a “civil war” there.
AleX says
Before our very eyes, packs of mighty, winged pigs hover over Cairo in celebration of religious diversity.
Good ol’ mohomedans rush to invite fellow Christians neighbors into their local mosques whilst the Zakat is gathered for the churches’ reconstruction.
Egyptians know what is needed right now: more ‘inter-faith dialogues’, more ‘bridges’ to be built betwixt communities.
PRCS says
“The country has struggled with the growing problem of Islamic extremism since the military coup.”
Nonsense!
It’s struggling with the growing problem of Muslim literalists.
Ever hear, see or read of a “journalist” definining at what point they believe a Muslim’s compliance with Qur’an and Sunn’ah becomes extremism?
MacUalraig says
Doesn’t seem like Sisi gives a shit. I keep hearing Gorka say he does.
Baucent says
The West holds too much hope on al Sisi. Personally, he may well be the most “moderate” Egyptian muslim. But he is in a minority and can not hope to control or rein in the Islamist fervour of most of the Egyptian citizens. The Copts have not been protected adequately or their rights improved in the 3-4 years of his government. In addition the influential Islamic University of Eqypt continues to propagate Islamist doctrine against Christians and other “infidels”.