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	MEMRI Daily: November 15, 2010 MEMRI | MEMRI TV | THE MEMRI BLOG | MEMRI ECONOMIC BLOG | JIHAD AND TERRORISM THREAT MONITOR TURKISH MEDIA PROJECT | IRAN BLOG | THE MIDDLE EAST CULTURE BLOG| THE URDU-PASHTU MEDIA BLOG
	The following is research published today from MEMRI’s Special Dispatch Series, the MEMRI TV Project, and the Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor. *Special Dispatch Series Inquiry & Analysis No. 646–Egypt/Minorities in the Middle East Rising Tensions between Muslims, Christians in Egypt By: L. Azuri* In recent months, tensions between Muslims and Christians in Egypt have flared in the wake of several incidents, including demonstrations following the disappearance of Camilia Shehata Zakher, the wife of a Coptic bishop who allegedly converted to Islam and is being held by the Coptic Church; the capture of an alleged "arms ship" owned by the son of a Coptic Church official, which arrived in Egypt in August 2010 and was reportedly carrying a cargo of explosives from Israel; statements by Anba Bishoy, secretary of the Synod, to the effect that the Copts are the landlordsin Egypt and that the Muslims are their guests, and that the Christians would "die as martyrs" before letting anyone harm the Church; and statements made in response by the Al-Azhar Scholars Front and by the former secretary-general of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Dr. Muhammad Salim Al-'Awa, who hinted that the Copts were preparing for war with the Muslims and that the Coptic Church was an independent entity above the Egyptian constitution and law. All of these sparked rage against the Coptic minority in Egypt, which responded by holding demonstrations and launching a legal and media battle in its own defense. Despite attempts by the heads of the religious administrations, both Muslim and Christian, to defuse the tension and prevent its escalation into violence, statements by religious figures from both sides only fanned the flames. A statement issued by the Al-Azhar Academy of Islamic Research called for unity among Egyptians, but at the same time enraged the Christians by stating that Egypt is a Muslim country and hinting that the Copts' status as equal citizens is contingent upon their respecting this fact. The Coptic Patriarch, Pope Shenouda III, denied the existence of weapons in churches and monasteries, and said he was sorry if Bishoy's statements had offended Muslims. However, his words were taken to be a partial endorsement of Bishoy's position, rather than an apology, and failed to placate the Muslims, who continued to demand that Bishoy be discharged from his post and put on trial. In fact, the Egyptian security forces voiced a concern that Bishoy would be attacked by Muslim extremists, but he refused to accept bodyguards. To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4765.htm. Special Dispatch No. 3377—Pakistan/Bangladesh/South Asia Studies Project Article in Urdu Daily Calls for Repatriating Urdu-Speaking 'Stranded Pakistanis' from Bangladesh to Pakistan In 1947, when Pakistan was created, a large number of Urdu-speaking Muslims from the Bihar region of India migrated to East Pakistan. During the 1971 war in which Bengali-speaking people fought for the emergence of East Pakistan as the independent state of Bangladesh, most Biharis expressed their loyalty to the state of Pakistan. After the war, thousands of them went to West Pakistan, now simply Pakistan. However, most of these Pakistanis remained stranded in Bangladesh; they are now known as "Stranded Pakistanis," or sometimes simply as Biharis. The "Stranded Pakistanis" have been discriminated against in Bangladesh by its new rulers, who came from the majority Bengali-speaking community. Often, they have lived in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Over the past few decades, successive Pakistani governments have failed to repatriate and rehabilitate them in Pakistan. In February 2010, a delegation of leaders representing the Stranded Pakistanis visited Pakistan and met with senior journalists, politicians, and religious leaders, and stressed their need to be repatriated to Pakistan. In a recent article, titled "Stranded Pakistanis – Awaiting the Nation's Attention," former Pakistani lawmaker and religious scholar Dr. Farid Ahmad Paracha drew attention to their plight. To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4766.htm. Special Dispatch No. 3378—Women's Topics TV Report on Underage Marriage in the Arab World Following are excerpts from a TV program on child marriage in the Arab world, which aired on Abu Dhabi TV on October 17, 2010: To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/2679.htm. Reporter: "Fawziyya Al-Jammal is happy with the six children that successfully led to the birth of 32 grandchildren. She married off her six daughters between the ages of 11-16, a practice that is a source of pride for her among the villagers of Upper Egypt." Fawziyya Al-Jammal: "I'm proud that I married them off, and managed to protect their honor. They are living happily in their husbands' homes. What should I keep them here for? When her time comes, I marry her off. If a girl turns 16 and isn't married yet, she is considered an old maid." To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4767.htm. Special Dispatch No. 3379—Egypt/Women's Topics Egyptian Minister of Religious Endowment Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq: Wearing the Niqab Is Forbidden in Islam Following are excerpts from an interview with Egyptian Minister of Religious Endowments Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq, which aired on Al-Hayat 2 TV on November 8, 2010: To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/2683.htm. Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq: "Wearing the niqab is completely forbidden in Islam." Interviewer: "It is forbidden." Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq: "Yes." Interviewer: "So not only is it not a duty – it is even forbidden?" Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq: "It is not a duty, not part of the Sunna, and not recommended or anything." To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4768.htm. Special Dispatch No. 3380—South Asia Studies Project/Afghanistan/Taliban Taliban Leader Mullah Omar Issues Statement on Eid Al-Adha, Rejects Media Reports of Peace Talks as 'Baseless Propaganda' Aimed at 'Wrongfully Raising Hollow Hopes in the Hearts of… People' On November 15, 2010, Mullah Mohammad Omar, who heads the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban’s shadow government in Afghanistan), issued a statement to mark the occasion of Eid Al-Adha, the Islamic festival of sacrifice falling on November 17. In the statement, Mullah Omar rejected all media reports about peace talks between the Taliban and the Karzai government as "baseless propaganda." The Taliban leader noted: "The enemy is retreating and facing siege in all parts of the country day in and day out. Their casualties of life are spiraling up. It is because of this pressure that the enemy has resorted to spreading the misleading rumors of peace talks." To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4769.htm. *From the Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor Note to media and government: For the full reports, send an email with the title in the subject line to media@memri.org. AQAP: Contrary to Saudi Claims, It Is Not We Who Threaten the Pilgrims, But U.S. and Shi'ites In a new communiqué, dated November 11 and posted on the jihadi website Shumukh Al-Islam, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) denies claims by the Saudi foreign ministry that the mujahideen are planning to attack pilgrims in Mecca during the Hajj. To read in full, visit http://www.memrijttm.org/content/en/blog_personal.htm?id=4041&param=GJN. Islamist Sheikh Convicted of Terrorism Plans to Seek Nasrallah's Protection According to a November 13, 2010 report in Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, the Lebanese military court has sentenced 54 members of Al-Qaeda and of Fath Al-Islam, who were convicted of involvement in terrorism or of the murder or attempted murder of Lebanese civilians and military personnel. The report states that 30 of these individuals, from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Saudi Arabia, have been sentenced to two years in prison for belonging to a terror organization and for planning to perpetrate terror and to harm the Lebanese regime, while some were convicted only of abetting the terrorists' crimes or helping them evade justice. 23 of the 54 – including Islamist preacher Sheikh 'Omar Bakri and the Saudi 'Abd Al-Rahman Al-'Aziz Al-Yahya, aka Talha – were tried in their absence and sentenced to life in prison with hard labor. To read in full, visit http://www.memrijttm.org/content/en/blog_personal.htm?id=4040&param=GJN. To view thiese reports, you must be a paying member of the Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor Project (JTTM). For membership information, send an email to jttmsubs@memri.org with "Membership" in the subject line. You can also subscribe to a year of the JTTM Weekly Digest for $200.00. The Digest includes a selection of material from the JTTM. To subscribe to the JTTM Weekly Digest, visit https://secure3.convio.net/memri/site/Donation2?df_id=1253&1253.donation=form. (Sign up today - subscription price is set to increase in the next few weeks)