Abu Islam Confronts the Coptic Church — From Abroad

As we reported last night, an Egyptian cleric named Abu Islam is on trial for tearing and burning a Bible.

The following interview with the sheikh from Al-Watan reveals that his internet-based vitriol against the Coptic Church in Egypt is being hosted by service providers in Switzerland, Britain, and the United States.

Many thanks to Mary Abdelmassih for the translation, and to Vlad Tepes for the subtitling:

Transcript:

06:28		You get people by phone and make meetings by phone.
06:30		Why did you chose London and Switzerland?
06:34		Where should I chose?
06:35		Why not from Egypt?
06:38		I see that the nature of my topics is embarrassing for the government, the previous government at the time of State Security.
06:45		I realized that if I did this, I will confront the Church with all its impertinence and impoliteness
06:52		and disrespect to the prophet, may,… one time after another, so if I have my channel here, I will not be able to present these topics, this is number one,
07:01		and if I used trickery this will be an embarrassment and will give the opportunity to the Christians to do a similar channel.
07:05		[text] el-Watan interviews Sheikh Abu Islam
07:10		So I found that wisdom necessitates that I go outside Egypt, so that I can be free
07:16		Also if I should die, will the channel stop? No it will manage itself from outside Egypt.
07:21		There are people who will manage it from London, from America and from Paris, three fixed locations which deals with us for the servicing of the channel.
07:33		Abu Islam spreads hatred and dissent as a mean for gathering funds.