I don't find any good reasons that Salafis may hate the Coptic Christians and the Church that much. Salafis were the first to demonstrate against the late Pope Shenouda III during the Chrisis of Kamelia Shehata when they insulted him severely in front of his residence at St. Mark cathedral and refused to stand a minute of silence for his death in the People's Assembly.
Salafis have participated in burning the church of Atfih and tried to demolish the building completly. Furthermore, they have participated in buring the church of Embaba as well as a number of houses and stores theat belong to Christians in the surounding area clalimin they were hiding a lady that had converted to Islam!
Many fatwas were issued by Salafist leaders, headed by their famous sheik Yasser Borhami, saying that congratualting the Chrisitians for their feasts is totally forbidden as they are but infidels! Moreover, they have been accusing the Copts and their church of many flase accusations, one of them is that a number of Copts are recieving money from forign countries in order to stir up a sectarian strife in Egypt! In fact, they should have been judged for such accusations that many ordinary people believe! I still remember the accusation of Dr. Mohammed Saleem Al-Awa who said that churches and monasteries store a lot of weapons!
Recently, Salafis have continued on their false accusations for the Chruch by accusing Abba Pachomious, the acting patriarch, as well as Abba Serapion, bishop of Los Angeles, of particiapting in the famous anti-Islam movie, despite their condemnation of the movie and the participation of many priests in the demonstrations against it. Salafis are trying to defame the church by all means, even by their false accusations.
Salafis have been demonstrating against any new churches or any repairs for them, even if Christians have the due official permits. I wonder of this hostility by the Salafis who have been considering the Copts their great enimy, however Copts have never attacked or insulted any of them.
Government has to do something to stop such hostility againt the Copts as well as the false accusations of the extrimists. Such people should be sued for their acts and lies that stir up sectarian strifes and threaten the life of many Coptic Christians.
