Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelist churches rejected al-Qa'ida leader Ayman al-Zawāhirī's statements which are directed against Pope Tawadros II and accuse the Copts of having sought to overthrow Muhammad Morsi (Mursī) and seeking to establish a Coptic state in southern Egypt. Catholic Church Media Spokesman Father Rafīq Greīch said the statement was not worth commenting on, since it was merely nonsense. Father Dr. Safwat al-Bayyādī said that these claims were nothing new for al-Zawāhirī and asked what else he had to say. The churches consider these statements a green light for attacks against Copts and churches. Therefore, several Coptic movements and activists called on Secretary of Defense General 'Abd al-Fattah al-Sīsī and Secretary of Interior Major General Mohammad Ibrahim to intensify churches' security, fearing terrorist acts against them (Author not mentioned, Copts United Website, Aug. 4). Read original text in Arabic. 

Anton Bondarew, Intern