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Egypt clashes: Copts mourn victims of Cairo unrest | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Thousands of Egyptian Coptic Christians have gathered for the funerals of protesters killed during clashes with security forces in Cairo on Sunday. | |
Many mourners expressed anger at the army, which they blame for the deaths. | |
The protesters say they were attacked by thugs before the security forces fired on them and drove military vehicles into the crowds. | |
The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed forces has told the government to carry out a swift inquiry into the violence. | |
The council - which was handed the power to govern by President Hosni Mubarak before he was ousted in a popular revolt - is meant to be transitional and to hand over power to a president, once he or she is elected. | |
The transitional government is appointed by the council. | |
The Copts, who make up about 10% of Egypt's 85 million population, have a number of grievances against the interim administration. | |
They say the authorities have been slow to punish radical Islamists who have attacked their churches. | |
Coptic Christians organised Sunday's demonstration after a church was set on fire near Aswan last week. Local Muslims insisted it did not have the proper construction permits. | |
In the past few months, security services have repeatedly been accused of failing to intervene to stop sectarian clashes across the country. | |
The transitional government is also accused of doing little to address the long-standing grievances of Christians. These include complaints about restrictions on building churches and a school curriculum focused on Islam. | |
Speaking on al-Arabiya television, Fouad Allam, the former head of Egypt's security services, gave a stark warning: "There needs to be serious action from the leaders to resolve the root causes, otherwise this could lead to civil war." | |
Sunday's protest was sparked by the burning down of a church in the southern Aswan province. | |
On Monday there were more angry scenes and low-level clashes between security forces and Copts, who had gathered for the funerals. | |
Many mourners directed their anger against the military, and particularly the head of the military council Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi. | |
"Tantawi you traitor, the blood of Copts is not cheap," Christians chanted outside the hospital where the bodies of their loved ones had been stored. | |
Others called for Field Marshal Tantawi to be deposed. | |
At least 24 people died on Sunday and hundreds more were injured. | |
It is not clear how many of those killed were Christians, but the authorities said three soldiers were among the dead. | |
Coptic Church leader Pope Shenuda III blamed Sunday's violence on infiltrators. | |
"The Christian faith denounces violence. Strangers infiltrated the demonstration and committed the crimes for which the Copts have been blamed," the pope said in a statement. | |
The military called on the government to carry out a quick investigation into the clashes by "forming a fact-finding committee to determine what happened and take legal measures against all those proven to have been involved". | The military called on the government to carry out a quick investigation into the clashes by "forming a fact-finding committee to determine what happened and take legal measures against all those proven to have been involved". |
Security has been stepped up at vital installations in Cairo, with additional troops deployed outside parliament and the cabinet building in anticipation of further unrest. | Security has been stepped up at vital installations in Cairo, with additional troops deployed outside parliament and the cabinet building in anticipation of further unrest. |
Thousands of people - mainly but not exclusively Christians - joined Sunday's march from the Shubra district of northern Cairo to the state TV building in Maspero Square. | |
They were calling on the military council to sack the governor of Aswan province. | |
They also accused state TV of fanning the flames of anti-Christian agitation. | They also accused state TV of fanning the flames of anti-Christian agitation. |
The demonstrators said they were assaulted by attackers in plain clothes before the clashes with the security forces broke out. | |
The violence began outside the state TV building but soon spread to Tahrir Square, the centre of the demonstrations which led to President Hosni Mubarak's resignation in February. | The violence began outside the state TV building but soon spread to Tahrir Square, the centre of the demonstrations which led to President Hosni Mubarak's resignation in February. |
There were reports of thousands joining in the street violence, attacking both sides. Rioters tore up the pavement and hurled stones. | There were reports of thousands joining in the street violence, attacking both sides. Rioters tore up the pavement and hurled stones. |
Later, Egypt's Prime Minister Essam Sharaf appealed for calm. | Later, Egypt's Prime Minister Essam Sharaf appealed for calm. |
Christians in Egypt have been worried by the increasing show of strength by ultra-conservative Islamists. | Christians in Egypt have been worried by the increasing show of strength by ultra-conservative Islamists. |
In May, 12 people died in attacks on Coptic churches. In March, 13 people were killed in clashes between Muslims and Copts in Tahrir Square. | In May, 12 people died in attacks on Coptic churches. In March, 13 people were killed in clashes between Muslims and Copts in Tahrir Square. |
This latest violence comes ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for 28 November, the first such vote since Mr Mubarak was ousted. | This latest violence comes ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for 28 November, the first such vote since Mr Mubarak was ousted. |
The Copts, the largest minority in Egypt, complain of discrimination, including a law requiring presidential permission for churches to be built. Egypt only recognises conversions from Christianity to Islam, not the other way. | The Copts, the largest minority in Egypt, complain of discrimination, including a law requiring presidential permission for churches to be built. Egypt only recognises conversions from Christianity to Islam, not the other way. |
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