CAIRO - Kamilia Shehata, a 26-year-old Egyptian schoolteacher and wife of a priest in Mowas Monastery in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Minya, has surpassed in fame local movie stars such as Youssra and Nadia el-Guindi. The entire society is suffering sectarian tensions between Salafists and Copts in the context of a story that started a year ago with Kamilia running away from her husband and claims being made of her conversion to Islam. A deal was then allegedly concluded between the State Security Agency and the Coptic Orthodox Church, whereby Kamilia was handed over to the latter. The case of Kamilia Shehata has been reopened today over Salifi concerns that Kamilia is being denied her right as an Egyptian citizen to follow the faith of her choice. Abu Yehia, a key Salafi figure, has claimed that Kamailia had converted to Islam at his hands, although Al-Azhar (the foremost Sunni Islam institution) has denied that Kamilia had officially stated her conversion. Salafists had filed a lawsuit demanding the protection of Kamilia from the strong influence of the Church. The Public Prosecution had summoned Kamilia through the Coptic Orthodox Church to give her testimony in this respect to put an end to the ongoing dispute. Salafists have been staging demonstrations outside the Cathedral of the Coptic Orthodox in the Cairo suburb of Abbasiya, calling for the release of Kamilia, which provoked Copts to organise counter protests and to protect their Church. In the opinon of legal experts, the appearance of Kamilia in public is the only way to defuse the sectarian bomb. Despite the commotion being made, Kamilia has not shown up before official bodies although a Coptic satellite TV channel broadcast a recorded interview with Kamilia, in which she confirmed her Christian faith. She also denied that she had ever met Abu Yehia or converted to Islam at any point of her life. However, her rather belated response had given way to the escalation of a sectarian tug-of-war. The case of Kamilia stirred a furore when it first arose because the scenario pinpointed the strong grip of the Church on Coptic citizens. The alleged handing over of Kamilia to the Church by State Security officers implied that the Church is assuming the role of a state within the state. The case of Kamilia is not – and will not be – the first of its kind in terms of religious conversion and ensuing sectarian violence. Clashes actually occurred a few days ago when it was rumoured that a young Coptic woman, who converted to Islam after marrying a Muslim man, was being detained in a church in the populous districts of Imbaba near Cairo. The clashes left 15 dead. According to Mohssen Abu Saeda, Secretary of the Freedoms Committee of the Press Syndicate, the crisis of Kamilia has drifted from its legitimate course. He personally found it unlawful for the Public Prosecution to address the Church, asking for the testimony of Kamilia, since the Church has no legal capacity in this respect. Kamilia's domicile is well known and the notification should have been sent to her address. He wondered why the young woman has declined to co-operate with legal channels so as to appease public anger. He, however, said that Kamilia should appear before the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to clarify her position. Meanwhile, Essam Sultan, a lawyer, explained that the Church had acted cunningly when it refused to receive the prosecution's subpoena to refute claims about the presence of Kamilia within the Church. On the other hand, he also argues that the Salafists are mistaken since they have no custodial responsibility for Kamilia, hence they have no right to file a lawsuit in her name. “She is a fully-fledged citizen who should not be under the guardianship of either the Salafists or the Church,” he told the Arabic TV and Radio magazine. Sectarian confrontations are posing today a threat to the nation's security in a phase where Egypt is in the throes of a new system, warn observers. Although the Military Council and the acting Government are trying to contain such sectarian incidents, lack of decisiveness and the loose grip so far maintained by the police after the revolution are allowing all forms of chaos, including sectarian clashes, to hold sway, they say.
