Christians Held in Egypt for Work on Web Site

Egyptian police have detained two Egyptian Christians for their work on the Web site of a Christian Arab group based in Canada, police sources said 9 August.

Named as Adel Fawzi and Peter Ezzat, the two worked for the Middle East Christian Association, which has its headquarters in Ontario and has a Web site with the address www.m-e-c-a.com.

Unnamed lawyers had complained to the prosecutor general that the organisation and its Web site "insulted Islam and the prophet Mohammad on behalf of diaspora Copts", said one police source, who asked not to be named.

It was not immediately clear what kind of work Fawzi and Ezzat did for the organisation which has a mission statement calling for secularism, and equality and full citizenship for Christians living in the Middle East.

Headlines on the Web site include: "Islam began alien and will revert to being alien", "Is Mohammad a messenger from God?" "This Web site reveals the true face of Islam."

Copts living abroad, especially those in North America, have tended to be more hostile towards Muslims and towards the Egyptian government than Copts living inside Egypt.

An Interior Ministry spokesman said he had no information on the detentions.