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MEMRI Daily: June 7, 2011 -

Egyptian Islamist: Egyptians Want an Islamic State;

Egyptian Cleric Demonstrates Lashings in Islam;

Egyptian Women's Rights Activist Slams Muslim Brotherhood

The following are reports published today from MEMRI’s Special Dispatch Series and the MEMRI TV Project, including:

- Egyptian Islamist: The Egyptian People Want an Islamic State

- Egyptian Cleric Mas'oud Anwar Demonstrates Lashing in Islam and Declares: True Compassion Means Putting the Killer to Death, Stoning the Adulterer, and Chopping Off the Hand of the Thief

- Egyptian Women's Rights Activist Iqbal Baraka Slams the Muslim Brotherhood for Hypocrisy: They Have Learned from Turkish PM Erdogan, an 'Extremely Despicable' and 'Dangerous' Man

Special Dispatch No. 3896—Egypt

Egyptian Islamist: The Egyptian People Want an Islamic State

On May 28, 2011, the Egyptian daily Al-Yawm Al-Sabi' published an article by Mamdouh Isma'il, an attorney for Egyptian Islamists and former jihad activist, titled "The People Want an Islamic Egypt." In the article, Isma'il called on Egyptians to turn out en masse for demonstrations demanding the establishment of an Islamic state in Egypt, and exhorted them not to settle for a secular state with an Islamic source of authority.

Following are excerpts from his article:

"Why Must We Muslims Be on the Defensive?"

"I sat and pondered, and looked at Islamists like myself [appearing] in the media. Then, I looked at all those who often disagreed with one another, but came together to fight Islam. I asked myself, why must we Muslims be on the defensive? Is there some [negative] thing in our religion that we are obliged [to justify]?"

To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5350.htm.

Special Dispatch No. 3895—Egypt

Egyptian Cleric Mas'oud Anwar Demonstrates Lashing in Islam and Declares: True Compassion Means Putting the Killer to Death, Stoning the Adulterer, and Chopping Off the Hand of the Thief

Following are excerpts from a religious program featuring Egyptian cleric Mas'oud Anwar, which aired on Al-Rahma TV on February 23, 2011.

To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2964.htm.

Lashings, Chopping Off Hands, and Stonings are Like Removing Cancer from a Society

Mas'oud Anwar:

"I have with me statistics on crime in the West and in Arab countries, including Egypt. These figures are alarming. Why is there a rise in crime? Why is there an increasing number of prisons and prisoners? It is because the shari'a is not implemented."

To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5349.htm.

Special Dispatch No. 3894—Egypt/Women's Topics/Turkey/Inter-Arab Relations/Minorities in the Middle East

Egyptian Women's Rights Activist Iqbal Baraka Slams the Muslim Brotherhood for Hypocrisy: They Have Learned from Turkish PM Erdogan, an 'Extremely Despicable' and 'Dangerous' Man

Following are excerpts from an interview with Egyptian women's rights activist Iqbal Baraka, president of the Egyptian chapter of International PEN, the worldwide association of writers. The interview aired on Al-Hayat TV on May 29, 2011.

To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/2960.htm.

"We Need Someone with Resolve and Strength… and Comes From the Ranks of the Revolution"

Iqbal Baraka: "I feel that even though people are pleased with [Egypt PM] Dr. Essam Sharaf, he is not revolutionary enough, and his tempo is very slow. He is not a leader of a revolution. A revolution leader must be a strong and powerful man, who believes fervently in the revolution, and is not afraid." […]

To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5348.htm.