ASYUT, Egypt: Another Islamist group has condemned last weekend's clashes in Cairo's poverty-stricken neighborhood of Imbaba. “Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya disapproves of the attacks, both Muslim and Christian, in Imbaba,” member Abbud al-Zumar said. The Coptic Christian Church should not force or stop people if they wish to convert to Islam, al-Zumar said. During a press conference in Asyut, al-Zumar told 5,000 attendees, all Muslim, to not react unless they were sure of facts and to not believe lies and rumors about the woman who supposedly converted to Islam. Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya asked the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), currently charged with Egypt's administration, to prosecute those who accused of triggering the Imbaba violence. He said such events endanger citizens and tarnishe the success of the January 25 Revolution. “The Revolution was caused by Egyptians, both Muslims and Christians, so we should not believe and spread rumors claiming that former president Hosni Mubarak's regime was better than the current situation in Egypt,” al-Zumar said. “Mubarak's regime caused trouble in Egyptian-Arab relations, defamed the image of Islam, and separated Fatah and Hamas.” Regarding Osama bin Laden's death, al-Zumar said bin Laden is a victim of his U.S. enemies and warned Arabs of American arrogance in dealing with Arab Islamic countries and the Palestinian case. Asked whether Gama'a al-Islamiyya will set up new projects for Egypt, al-Zumar said the group will rearrange members' ranks to have more major roles in the next phase to help Egypt resolve problems of debts. The group also aims to borrow soft loans from Arab countries in order to confront Israeli tyranny, he said. Al-Zumar said Gama'a al-Islamiyya will announce its nominees soon and will be ready to launch a new party in time for presidential elections. Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya is an Egyptian Islamist movement, and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and the (former) Egyptian government.
