Leader of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), Mohamed Badei, accused remnants of the dissolved National Democratic Party (NDP) of fueling the recent clashes that took place between Coptic Christians protesters and the Egyptian army in front of Maspiro on October 9. During a conference in Qena on Thursday, he said the MB threatened "they will burn down Egypt if the government passes a political isolation law." He denied Egypt will witness a civil war between Muslims and Coptic Christians. Badei said members of the NDP know Egyptians demand the authorities to implement political isolation law, aiming to deprive NDP members from participating in Egypt's political life, which prompted them to fuel the sectarian tensions. He also denied Egypt will witness a civil war between Muslims and Coptic Christians, saying the residents of Aswan criticized the bloody Maspiro clashes. It was the incidents in Aswan that caused the main problem, fueled tension in Cairo. He added the residents of Aswan, Muslims and Coptic Christians, said they can resolve their problems and headed together to protect churches and monasteries. He highlighted the declarations issued by the Top Coptic Cleric in Aswan, Bishop Hedra, who refused the Coptic Youth of Aswan to organize a demonstration in Cairo to avoid any escalation. He said Coptic Christians are angry and should be appreciated and respected since the former regime deprived them from their legal rights. He added the MB suffered a lot during the former regime because of imprisonment. Badei demanded authorities to resolve pending issues to avoid any potential crises threatening security and stability of Egypt. Badei also refused recent demands to dismiss Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf's government since it is a transitional government that should lead Egypt until the election of new authority. He added any transitional government cannot offer resolutions for all the problems the community confronts. About his response about the violence, he said Egypt needs to open an investigation to find out those who attacked the demonstrators and the army. There are testimonies about a third party that targeted both the Armed Forces and the demonstrators. Badei said the recent clashes are an attempt to spread chaos in Egypt, which will open the door for Egypt's ruling military council to extend its presence in power. He praised the chairman of the ruling military council, Hussein Tantawi, who made a promise recently to not nominate a presidential candidate during the elections. “Egypt would not accept any president from the military institution, even if he took off the military uniform,” Badei said. Badei said the MB will run for 50 percent of parliamentary seats, clarifying the Freedom and Justice Party will manage the entire electoral process. He also refused international monitoring on the elections but accepted to allow foreign experts to follow up on the electoral process. In response to a question about the situation adopted by Coptic Christians about MB candidates, he said the former regime worked to increase the fears of the MB during the past few decades. He added the MB can gain the confidence of Coptic Christians since the candidates representing the MB in the next parliament aim to achieve the interests of all citizens including Coptic Christians. About the Coptic Christians' fear of ransom, he said they cannot impose ransom on Coptic Christians since it was implemented during the Islamic Caliphate as the state exempted them from the military service. He added Coptic Christians can participate now in defending Egypt alongside Muslims. The Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of the MB, demanded the government to set a scheduled time table to regulate the position of unlicensed churches to avoid any future clashes. The party said in a statement they believe each citizen has the right to exercise their religious beliefs. It demanded removing obstacles the former regime create to impede this legal right.
