(CBN) Roughly a year after revelations the Muslim Brotherhood had tortured Christian demonstrators at a Cairo mosque, more Egyptians are coming forward, detailing abuse they endured during Mohammed Morsi’s presidency.
The torture allegations come as no surprise to Egyptians demonstrators brutally beaten by pro-Morsi Islamists.
CBN News contributor Raymond Ibrahim said many Islamists believe it’s okay to torture an adversary.
“It all comes down to what is your intention?” Ibrahim said. “Is your intention to empower Islam and if it is, then you are exonerated…the idea of actually using terror once again via torture in order to support the Islamist agenda has been going on for a very long time.”
Egypt’s El Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of victims of violence recorded 359 torture cases during President Mohammed Morsi’s one year in office. That compares to 357 during the last 10 years of Hosni Mubarak’s rule.
Arresting and prosecuting the abusers may not be a top priority of Egypt’s interim government at this time. Both the Egyptian cabinet and the National Defense Council have called on pro-Morsi demonstrators to disband their Cairo sit-ins.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy says it’s clear reconciliation cannot take place until the incitement to violence ends.
“I think it’s also clear now that Egyptians are adamant about restoring their normal life and that the insecurities that exist cannot continue long term, but there is no desire to use force if there is any other avenue that has any potential for success,” Fahmy said.
Pro-Morsi supporters and other Islamists still blame Christians for the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood leader from the Egyptian presidency. Attacks against Christians, especially in upper Egypt, continue unabated.
CBN News has received reports of fresh attacks that took place Saturday, Aug. 3. Militant Muslims attacked homes and businesses in three Christian villages near al Minya, where rioting Islamists planted a black al Qaeda flag at a Coptic Orthodox church in Sohag.
Egyptian Christians want Washington to pressure the interim government to do more to protect them.
And while most Egyptians say they love Americans, they have little love or respect for President Barack Obama and U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Ann Patterson.
“There’s this feeling that is very hostile to the American administration because they see them — rightfully so — as very biased to the Brotherhood, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Islamists in general because of this administration’s actions, especially in the person of the hated Ann Patterson,” Ibrahim explained. “So, it’s really interesting to see how this will develop on the diplomatic front.”
Secretary of State John Kerry has suggested that Obama appoint U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford as the new Egyptian ambassador. But Egyptians are already critical, fearing that Ford will bring civil war to Egypt — just as he did with Syria.
