The Egyptian seminar Centre for Rights and
Freedoms filed a lawsuit against preacher Sheikh
Abu Islam Ahmed Abdallah for allegedly burning
the Bible during demonstrations that erupted last
week in front of the US Embassy in Cairo over an
anti-Islam film produced in the US.
The plaintiffs, who are members of the center and
are known for their jihadi views, are Nezar
Ghorab, Tareq Abu Bakr, Magdy Salem, Mohamed
Ghazlani and Ahmed Zakaria Ahmed.
They said that Abu Islam committed a crime
similar to that committed by the movie, as it is an
aggression against a divine book.
Former People’s Assembly MP Nezar Ghorab, told
Al-Masry Al-Youm that, “The position of the jihadi
current is clear. It refuses aggression against any
divine book. When Pastor Terry Jones burned the
Quran, I wrote that we will not burn the Bible,
because that does not conform to our religion and
is not part of the correct approach to Islam.”
Abdallah admitted that he tore the Bible and lit it
on fire, saying that what he burned is the holy
Christian book in the West.
“I do not acknowledge that there is a divine Bible
on the face of the earth,” he added.
On the lawsuits filed against him, Abu Islam said
that he doesn't care about them, and has
received no request for investigation. Even if he
does, he respects the law and the judiciary.
Abu Islam refused the accusation of defaming
Christianity, saying, “I refuse the term
defamation, because it does not exist in Islam.
What I acknowledge is belief or disbelief, not
defamation. It also is a secular word, and what I
acknowledge about Christianity is that it is a
pagan, blasphemous religion”
He pointed out that his destruction of the Bible
was a reaction to the abuses against Islam and
the Prophet.