The Coptic Church has begun tightening security in advance of Pope Shenouda III's Wednesday sermon following threats by the Iraqi wing of al-Qaeda against Egyptian churches for allegedly detaining two women said to have converted to Islam. According to papal sources, the pope may also cancel festivities marking the 39th anniversary of his ascension to the papacy next month for security reasons. Congregants attending the sermon will be expected to show identification cards, pass through metal detectors and be subject to searches. Security sources, for their part, claimed that such procedures were standard. In a statement issue on Tuesday, meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood opposition group condemned the al-Qaeda threat, calling on Egyptians to “protect all places of worship for the believers of all religions." The Iraqi wing of al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for an assault on a Baghdad church on Sunday that killed 60 people and injured 100. In a statement, al-Qaeda said the attack was a "warning" to the Egyptian Coptic Church to release the women who were allegedly detained. The Muslim Brotherhood also condemned the attack on the Baghdad church, calling it a “heinous crime not sanctioned by Islam.” Translated from the Arabic Edition.
