Religious clashes in Egypt leave at least 12 dead

In Egypt, weekend fighting between Muslims and Christians left at least 12 people dead and more than 230 people injured. Saturday’s violence began with rumours that a Christian woman who married a Muslim had been abducted and was being kept in the Virgin Mary Church against her will. The report of the kidnapping, which was never confirmed by local religious figures, sent a large mob of Muslims toward the church. Christians created a human barricade around the building and clashes erupted. The attack on the church was the latest sign of assertiveness by an extreme, ultraconservative movement of Muslims known as Salafis. The director of the press office for the Catholic Church in Egypt, Fr. Rafic Greiche said that the Salafis are causing concern for Christians and Muslims alike.

“They are a very fundamentalist group,” he told Vatican Radio, “even the Muslims are very afraid of them, it’s not only the Christians. The moderate Muslims are very afraid of them because they have a very loud voice. They are not politicians.”

Listen to John Kelly's interview with Fr. Rafic here: