Members of parliament on Monday criticized the media and called for banning it from covering investigations of the Alexandria church bombing. “The Penal Code punishes anyone interfering in investigations,” MP Zakaria Azmy told media representatives in parliament. “Let the police do their work.” “The traitors hit the Muslims and Christians of Egypt in the heart, and everyone agreed it was a terrorist act,” he said. “This is not the time for whatever demands you have, even if they are legitimate,” possibly referring to Coptic demands concerning the passing of the five-year-old Unified Places of Worship draft law. Majority leader Abdel Ahad Gamal Eddin, for his part, called for closing down the satellite channels that incite sectarian strife. “This won't be the last terrorist act if we don't take action,” he said. MP Mohamed Abdel Halim criticized Pope Benedict for his remarks on the Alexandria church bombing. “The pope should know that his remarks were heard from his predecessors at the gates of Jerusalem at the time of the crusades,” he said. House speaker Fathi Sorour denounced claims by foreign parties that Coptic Christians are persecuted in Egypt. MP Mahmoud Farid called on businessmen to cancel their companies' advertisements in the newspapers so that they stop “throwing fuel on the fire.” Finally, Coptic MP Khaled al-Assiuty called on reform campaigner Mohamed ElBaradei and Coptic expats abroad to stop attacking Egypt. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
