Local experts on Islamic movements express doubt that al-Qaeda would carry out threats to attack churches in Egypt as it has allegedly done in Iraq, especially given that the terror group has no organizational infrastructure in Egypt. “The Al-Qaeda organization does not exist in Egypt," said Amr al-Shobaki, an expert at the semi-official Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies. "An attack by al-Qaeda in Egypt, Europe or the US, similar to those that have occurred in Iraq, is not plausible.” "The possibility of the organization carrying out individual attacks by way of explosive packages is also limited,” he added. Al-Shobaki did, however, warn that fundamentalists inside Egypt could use al-Qaeda as a cover with which to carry out sectarian violence against the Coptic Church. Amar Ali Hassan, another Egyptian expert on Islamic movements, for his part, described the al-Qaeda threats as "bogus." "Nevertheless, they represent a serious escalation as extremist parties enter the picture,” he said. “This was expected in light of repeated failures by the Egyptian government to resolve the sectarian problem." Hassan went on to point out that what had begun with non-violent protests by Salafi Muslims in Egypt against a controversial Coptic bishop had escalated to the point that they now involved threats by al-Qaeda. “There is no evidence that al-Qaeda has completely disappeared from Egypt,” he said. “Al-Qaeda may not follow through with its threats, but it's giving ideas to other smaller organizations, unknown to security forces, and to individuals who are upset with the way in which the matter has been dealt with by the government and who may carry out individual attacks against the church,” said Hassan. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
