"Over three days a series meetings were held between representatives of several political and Islamist groups to unify all people attending the sit-in in Tahrir Square on July 29, in order to achieve the demands of the revolution, "demands that unify not splinter," said Dr. Amr Hamzawi, founder of Masr el Horreya, party " and leave everything else like the constitution, or elections for a later date." The sit-in was named "Friday of Popular Will and Unification" instead of "Sharia Friday" as Salafists wanted. It was also agreed that no sectarian or religious slogans or chanting was to be used, and all parties signed the statement to adhere to these terms. "We were surprised to find that the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists did not adhere to the agreements, and they intimidated other liberal groups," Hamzawi added.

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(AINA) -- An exchange of harsh words on July 25 between Ruth, a Christian woman, and Gassem Fouad, a Muslim man who had parked his tricycle in front of her home, escalated into assault by the man on Ruth and other Christian villagers, and the arrest of one Copt. After Ruth, who is 5 months pregnant, was assaulted, a Muslim mob waited for Coptic farmers to return from the fields, where they were intercepted and beaten with iron rods and pipes.

Security forces managed to contain the situation.

Six Christians, including Ruth and her sister-in-law Hannan, were hospitalized with concussions, head injuries and broken limbs. No Muslim was injured.

None of the Muslim perpetrators was arrested. Ruth's husband, Kirillos Daniel, was accused of possessing a weapon -- a rifle found thrown where the Christians were attacked, and is under detention.

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The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, held a hearing on the plight of Coptic Christians in Egypt and the political future of the country.

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/program/MinoritiesinE

To watch the video, please click here

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/program/MinoritiesinE

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(AINA) -- The number of Christian girls abducted and coerced into converting to Islam since the Egyptian "January 25 Revolution" has skyrocketed, according to Father Filopateer Gamil of St. Mary's Church in Giza. "More than two to three girls disappear everyday in Giza alone," he said. "The cases that are brought to public attention are few compared to what the numbers actually are."

Many Christians blame the military council for not intervening to put an end to this problem, which has escalated after the Revolution because of the "emergence of Muslim Salafists," says activist Mark Ebeid, "who believe strongly that converting a Christian Infidel is in some ways like earning a ticket to paradise -- not to mention the earthly remuneration they get from the Saudis."

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(AINA) -- On Thursday evening, June 30, Muslims looted and torched Christian homes and businesses in the village of western Kolosna in Samalut, Minya province. It was reported that some 10 Christians were injured, but none went to hospital and first aid was administered at home.

Muslim violence broke out when a Coptic couple was returning to Kolosna by bus when the wife was severely sexually harassed by Muslims at the bus terminal. The husband tried to defend his wife but was severely beaten.

Coptic witnesses said that shortly after the altercation thousands of Muslims from the predominantly Muslim east side of Kolosna roamed the western side of Kolosna, which is about 75% Coptic, and started looting and torching Christian property. Christians hid in their homes for fear of attacks by the Muslim mob.

Several calls were made to CTV, Coptic TV Channel, asking for help and besieged resident reported on live television the horror of the mob attacks, saying Muslims surrounded Christian homes and chanted "Allahu Akbar" and shouted "Get their weapons."

"They were cursing the cross and taunting us that we will stay inside and never be allowed in the streets again," said one caller to the television program.

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WASHINGTON — A key US lawmaker on Friday condemned contacts between President Barack Obama's administration and Egypt's once-banned Muslim Brotherhood, warning the group aims to impose strict Islamist law.

"I strongly disagree with the Obama Administration's contacts with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood," said Republican Steve Chabot, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.

"The United States should be doing everything it can to support secular democratic opposition groups instead of groups like the Muslim Brotherhood with the proclaimed objective of establishing Sharia law," he said in a statement.

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