Christians begin to flee Egypt

Israel Today (Link) - Ryan Jones (April 13, 2011)

A growing number of Egypt�s 8-10 million Coptic Christians are looking for a way to get out as Islamists increasingly take advantage of the nationalist revolution that toppled long-standing dictator Hosni Mubarak in February.

Egypt Daily News reported on Tuesday that �lawyers who specialize in working with Coptic Egyptians�say that in the past few weeks they have received hundreds of calls from Copts wanting to leave Egypt.�

�They are insisting on leaving Egypt because the risks of staying here are too great,� Naguib Gabriel, a Coptic human rights lawyer, told Egypt Daily News. �Many Christians are afraid of the future because of the fanatics in the mosques.�

At least 20 Christians have been killed in sectarian violence with Muslims since Mubarak�s ouster. And groups like the Muslim Brotherhood have been taking a n increasingly visible role in forming Egypt�s next government.

Coptic leaders have complained that they are being left out of the decision-making process, raising fears that the Egypt of tomorrow will be far less free and democratic than even the Egypt of Mubarak. �