Agenzia Fides

Cairo (Agenzia Fides) - "The tension is high, because protest demonstrations are expected because of the caricatures which appeared on a French satirical newspaper that offended the Prophet Mohammed. The embassy, consulate and French schools in Cairo are closed for fear of accidents.
Even the President of the Republic is heavily guarded by police and special forces," says to Fides Agency Fr. Rafic Greiche, director of communications for the Catholic Church in Egypt. As last Friday, when the protest was focused against the U.S. Embassy, one waits until the end of the Friday prayers to see if there will be violence.
Fr. Greiche notes that there is a difference in attitude between the Muslim Brotherhood and other groups, especially the Salafis, that animate the protest for the offenses committed to Prophet Mohammed. "Last Friday, the Muslim Brotherhood had announced a major event in the Prophet's name in front of the American Embassy. But the Interior Ministry managed to avoid it. So who took part in the protests last Friday were the Salafis."
For today the Muslim Brotherhood have not promoted any demonstration. The square will be in the hands of the Salafis and even in the hands of criminals who hide themselves in the protests, provoking clashes and trying to create turmoil," notes Fr. Greiche. "Now that the Muslim Brotherhood is in power, they have a more cautious approach. One needs to remember that President Morsi will go, on September 23 to New York for the UN General Assembly, and certainly does not want further unrest," concludes the Egyptian priest. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/09/2012)