Muslim Brotherhood Condemns Imbaba Violence

The Muslim Brotherhood has condemned the violence between Muslims and Copts in Imbaba on Saturday. Though it is unlikely to win over many Copts, who suspect its members of holding attitudes similar to the Salafis who attacked the church, Brotherhood General Guide Dr. Muhammad Badie denounced the use of violence:

The chairman condemned the attacks on the Imbaba Church emphasizing that such actions were ignorant stressing Islam denounced violence and terrorism. He stated that since its establishment the MB has always called for tolerance and peace and that such actions and efforts to promote sedition and sectarian strife were unacceptable.

Badie slammed the attack on the church stating that any attack on any civilians regardless of religious colour and creed is a sin and a crime. He maintained that Islam commanded Muslims to preserve such places, and rejects such sinful actions on all houses of worship, whether Christian or Muslim.

The Brotherhood's English website also posted the following:

Over the last two days Imbaba in Cairo has witnessed a spiraling wave of sedition and sectarian strife bearing down on Muslims and Copts alike which resulted in needless deaths, injuries and destruction.

It is on this note that the Muslim Brotherhood denounces any efforts by extremists both Muslims and Copts and counter-revolutionaries who endeavor to spoil the gains of the revolution by failing to put the nation ahead of individual comforts.

Unfortunately, these reckless people are behaving in a way which defeats the successes of the revolution and delays the progress and advancement of Egypt by deviating from the right path of the revolution.

These continued actions by unpatriotic people will sow dissension, and incite violence, aimed at wrecking the unity and cohesion of compatriots.

It is on this note that we, the MB, call for an immediate investigation and holding those responsible accountable. We fully support the decision made by the military to put those responsible to military trial so that they may eradicate such actions and prevent the spread of sabotage.

Admittedly, this statement denounces sedition without assigning blame to either side, but does seem to distance the Brotherhood from the violent Salafis without exactly supporting the Copts.