CAIRO: Pope Shenouda discussed with two members of the ruling military council the deadly Maspero clashes and unlicensed churches in a closed meeting Sunday. Journalists weren't allowed to attend and both sides didn't give official press statements following the meeting. Church sources told Daily News Egypt that the two-hour meeting focused on the Maspero clashes, which left 27 dead, the unified law for building houses of worship, and the status of closed and unlicensed churches. Bishop Morqos, who attended the meeting, described it as “positive”, refusing to divulge more details. He said the church has started surveying churches working without an official license. A memo with the results would be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers, which will discuss the status of such churches on Wednesday, and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The sources said the Pope handed the two SCAF members a memo, previously sent to the council, listing 55 churches shut down by the disbanded State Security Investigations. Meanwhile, the victims of the violence on Oct. 9 reached 27, after protester Magdy Fahim Mosaad died Sunday morning at the International Salam Hospital. According to lawyer Ibrahim Edward, the protester was suffering from brain hemorrhage, a broken shoulder and several injuries in the neck and face after being run over outside the state-TV building last week.
