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Christian persecution concerns rise in Egypt as State Department presses religious freedom
Christianity’s surge in Middle East sees millions of Muslim converts amid conflict
The Middle East experiences a significant spiritual shift as millions of Muslims convert to Christianity, a phenomenon tracked by Open Doors. Pastor Georges Houssney of Horizons International shares his 50 years of experience ministering in the region, detailing how many are disillusioned with Islam due to war and receiving visions of Christ, even risking death in Iran.
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A series of violent attacks on Egyptian Christians, including the incarceration of a man who converted from Islam to Christianity, prompted the U.S. State Department to urge that religious freedom be respected in the Muslim-majority country of Egypt.
The situation of the Christian minority in Egypt has implications for religious freedom in the northern African nation that receives $1.3 billion in annual funding from the U.S.
Raymond Ibrahim, an expert on Christians in the Muslim world, wrote on the website of the Gatestone Institute, that «Said Mansour Rezk Abdelrazek, a Muslim convert to Christianity, has become one of Egypt’s most prominent religious freedom cases.
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«After embracing Christianity in 2016, he endured years of harassment, detention, and abuse. On April 13, prosecutors referred him to a terrorism court, while his lawyers were denied access to the case file. He remains imprisoned, with advocates reporting torture, physical abuse, denial of adequate medical care, and repeated postponements of his trial.»
In another case, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) reported that a mob of Muslims tossed stones at a church in Upper Egypt on July 8, injuring Christians and causing damage to the building and a priest’s car.
Just days later, a group of men attacked Father Matta Roushdy, 49, a priest at the Virgin Mary and Saint Abanoub Coptic Orthodox Church in Dahab, South Sinai Governorate.
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A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that President Trump has stated that «America will always defend the right of every person to live out their faith openly, freely, and without fear.» The spokesperson added that «Religious freedom is a fundamental American value. We aspire for all others to enjoy the same freedom, protection, and benefits.»
However, there has been some progress in combating bias against Coptic Christians. The organization Coptic Solidarity wrote last week that a breakthrough unfolded with respect to the alleged longstanding discrimination against Coptic athletes in soccer.
Egyptian Coptic Christians attend the Resurrection Mass at the Monastery of Saint Simon Al-Kharaz during Holy Saturday services on April 19, 2025 in Cairo, Egypt. The Coptic Church observes the same liturgical calendar as the Eastern Orthodox Church, whose Easter date coincides with that of the Western Christian calendar this year. (Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images)
«In an unprecedented move, Egypt’s Ministry of Youth and Sports announced that its investigation found sufficient evidence of misconduct by a coach at Alexandria’s Al-Ittihad Club who allegedly excluded a junior football player, Makari Younan, because of his Christian name,» the organization announced.
It added that, «The decision deserves recognition. Whether motivated by public pressure or a genuine policy shift, the Ministry’s response represents a notable departure from the longstanding official tendency to dismiss such allegations.»
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The organization continued, «It appears to be the first official acknowledgment that discrimination against Copts in Egyptian sport is not merely an allegation raised by disappointed families or human rights organizations, but a matter requiring government intervention.»
Open Doors, a global organization that aids persecuted Christians around the world, said of the attack on the priest that, «These types of attacks are usually committed by members of radical Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood.»
Their statement added, «Their actions reflect a broader anti-Christian sentiment, especially in rural and village societies across the country where weak law enforcement leaves Christians vulnerable to attack. Though violent cases like this have decreased in the last decade, these attacks will continue until the state takes anti-Christian fanaticism as seriously as it deserves.»
Fox News Digital sent multiple press query emails to the Egyptian embassies in Washington and Tel Aviv and called the embassy in Washington.
Coptic Orthodox Christians gather for an Easter service at the Monastery of Saint Simon the Tanner, located in the Mokattam Mountain area of Cairo on April 19, 2025. Christians believe Holy Saturday is the day Jesus lay in the tomb after His crucifixion, a time of quiet reflection and waiting. It marks the transition between His death on Good Friday and His resurrection on Easter Sunday. (Ahmed Sayed/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Dalia Ziade, an Egyptian Middle East Scholar and Research Fellow at The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, told Fox News Digital that «These cases represent only a small fraction of what Coptic Christians endure in Egypt every day. We are speaking about a population of more than 20 million Egyptians. On paper, they are labeled a minority. In reality, they are at the essence of Egyptian identity. They are the preservers of the country’s history and cultural memory.»
According to Ziade, «Women and Coptic Christians constitute President El-Sisi’s most important political base. These were the two vulnerable groups that felt most threatened by the Muslim Brotherhood in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. They strongly supported El-Sisi then, and they continue to support him today. Consequently, he must maintain the appearance of protecting and pleasing them by visiting their church on Christmas every year. But beyond that, nothing is actually happening to make them less vulnerable.»
The U.S. State Department 2025 report on Christians depicts a bleak situation for the Egyptian Christian community. The community makes up an estimated 10% of the nation’s 120 million people.
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According to the State Department report on Egyptian Christians, «Despite efforts for greater representation, Christians remain underrepresented in senior positions across the public sector. Currently, only two Christians – the minister of local development and the minister of parliamentary affairs – serve in Egypt’s 31-member cabinet,» wrote the State Department, adding: «Of 27 appointed governors, only one is Christian. In the senate, 24 Christians (17 elected and seven appointed) hold seats, out of 300 senators. One serves as deputy speaker. A Coptic Christian is the head of the constitutional court. No Christian serves as president of any of the country’s 27 public universities. Employment discrimination against Christians – especially within the security services, judiciary, and senior civil service – remains a significant issue.»
According to an April 29 Christian Today report, a Coptic Christian YouTuber, Augustinos Samaan, was sentenced to five years in prison for insulting Islam because he published videos defending the Christian faith.
christianity religion, faith, religion us, human rights, persecutions
INTERNACIONAL
9/11 families push to ban Mamdani from 25th anniversary remembrance over ‘hostile’ record
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Families of 9/11 victims are urging organizers to bar New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani from attending this year’s 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony in Lower Manhattan.
Several families of 9/11 victims published a petition urging the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which organizes the annual remembrance, to reconsider inviting Mayor Zohran Mamdani, citing a laundry list of criticisms of the Uganda-born socialist Democrat.
«Concerns have been raised about Mr. Mamdani’s public positions, associations, and responses to rhetoric that many perceive as hostile to these shared values,» a Change.org petition organized by several victims’ families states.
«Given these concerns, we respectfully ask that the organizers carefully consider whether Mr. Mamdani’s participation would align with the intention of the ceremony and the expectations of the families most directly affected by the tragedy.»
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announces that five upcoming city-owned grocery stores will offer a 30 percent discount on produce, meat, bread, and milk when they open next year. The discount on essential items will potentially save shoppers an estimated $90 a month, or roughly $1,000 a year. Mamdani has pledged one community grocery store for each borough. July 27, 2026, in Brooklyn. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Concerns listed include a «perceived reluctance» by Mamdani to unequivocally condemn phrases like «globalize the intifada» — a slogan associated with calls for the eradication of Jews.
They also expressed concern over Mamdani’s alleged support for or association with individuals either dismissive of American institutions or insufficiently critical of extremist ideologies.
A 2025 release by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, outlined one such association with a radical Bed-Stuy imam who hosted the Blind Sheikh, mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and has made controversial statements about jihad.
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Janlyn Scauso, whose husband was a New York City firefighter killed in the Sept. 11 attacks, holds family photos during a rally near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Monday, July 20, 2026. Groups representing victims of Iranian-linked terrorism urged the U.S. not to release any money to Tehran, underscoring the political risks for President Donald Trump of fulfilling a key demand under a possible peace deal. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Siraj Wahhaj, born Jeffrey Kearse, hosted Mamdani at his At-Taqwa mosque during the campaign and received criticism at the time from former FBI agents for failing to condemn the cleric.
The victims’ families also called out Mamdani’s father, Columbia government professor Mahmood Mamdani, whom they cite as authoring a book shortly after the attacks in which he argued suicide bombers should be «understood as a feature of modern political violence rather than stigmatized as a mark of barbarism.»
They wrote that Professor Mamdani’s book – «Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror» – also included a passage arguing a moral equivalency between the United States and Al Qaeda.
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Names of victims are read during the commemoration ceremony on the 22nd anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks in New York City. (AP/Yuki Iwamura)
When the passage was resurfaced in 2025, prominent New York billionaire Bill Ackman quipped on X that the «apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.»
Fox News Digital reached out to both Mamdanis for comment.
While the mayor did not immediately return a request for comment, he told a reporter at an unrelated press conference Monday that he still plans to attend.
«I will proudly honor families the survivors the first resp forever impacted by that horrific terror attack by standing alongside them at this year’s 9/11 commemoration — reaffirming that we will never forget the solemn day…,» he said.
Victims’ families also excoriated the mayor for supporting and standing with socialist candidates they said hold radically anti-American views, including the DSA-endorsed woman who defeated left-wing Rep. Adriano Espaillat in Washington Heights.
The petition noted Darializa Chevalier once tweeted that she nonchalantly wiped soiled hands on an American flag after running out of napkins.
«For 9/11 families, this is not simply a public ceremony—it is a deeply personal day of mourning. The presence of individuals whose words or associations are perceived as conflicting with the solemn purpose of the event risks detracting from that focus and causing additional pain,» the consortium wrote.
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Olga Colon, 65, blows a kiss as she finds the name of her brother, Carlos Rey Lillo, a paramedic killed when the South Tower collapsed, at the south reflecting pool during the annual 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum on Sept. 11, 2025, in New York City. Government officials joined family, friends and first responders at Ground Zero on the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks at the World Trade Center. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)
One organizer told the New York Post that mourning dignitaries from both parties will be welcomed, but emphasized they have all been involved in the healing process for years, citing former mayors Rudolph Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, former Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and City Council Speaker Julie Menin, D-Upper East Side.
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The memorial museum said it has «intentionally worked to keep the commemoration free of politics because remembering those we lost on 9/11 should never be a partisan issue,» according to a statement to the Post from staffer Julie Wood.
The petition comes amid elevated rhetoric directed at Mamdani as he prepares to take office before his first September 11 commemoration as mayor, as Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., and radio host Sidney Rosenberg both recently declared the mayor a «terrorist.»
zohran mamdani, terrorism, new york city, september 11, politics
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Trump doubles down on Iran nuclear weapons pledge with Pickaxe Mountain threat
President Donald Trump vows to ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, prompting a discussion with Mark Wallace, CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran. Wallace highlights the threat posed by Iran’s hidden ‘Pickaxe Mountain’ nuclear facility, which may contain centrifuges and enriched uranium. He emphasizes the need to neutralize this site and discusses the Iranian regime’s use of nuclear ambitions as leverage against the West.
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President Donald Trump is threatening to strike Iran’s deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility — a site the United States previously left untouched while bombing the country’s other major nuclear sites, raising new questions about what may have changed.
Estimated to lie beneath at least 100 meters of rock near Iran’s damaged Natanz nuclear enrichment complex, Pickaxe was designed to replace an above-ground plant capable of assembling roughly 6,000 advanced centrifuges each year before it was destroyed in 2020.
Iran said the replacement would be larger, more modern and built «in the heart of the mountain.» Analysts believe the tunnels could eventually hold a centrifuge assembly line, an enrichment plant or equipment used in certain nuclear weaponization activities.
Satellite image Pickaxe Mountain (Vantor/Handout via Reuters)
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Yet the administration has not said whether it has confirmed that centrifuges were moved inside — or why a site left untouched during earlier attacks now warrants a strike. Military experts also disagree over whether airstrikes could destroy Pickaxe’s interior or merely seal its entrances temporarily.
The same depth that could protect Iran’s nuclear infrastructure may place Pickaxe’s main chambers beyond the reliable destructive reach of America’s most powerful conventional bunker-busting weapon. Bombing its exposed entrances could deny Iran access without destroying the facility or anything stored inside.
Trump said Tuesday that the United States would probably strike the area «pretty soon» and «very heavily.»
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His warning came after The Wall Street Journal reported that Israeli intelligence believes Iran moved thousands of centrifuges into Pickaxe last fall. Trump said the transfer «may have» occurred but added that the United States did not have it «on record.»
«Maybe this one they have right,» Trump said. «But it’s okay. It doesn’t mean anything unless they have the material.»
A satellite view shows an overview of the Natanz nuclear facility and Pickaxe Mountain, near Natanz, Iran, June 30, 2026 (Vantor/Handout via Reuters)
«We follow the material,» he added.
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By «the material,» Trump was referring to Iran’s enriched uranium, including uranium gas that centrifuges can further enrich to weapons-grade levels.
Before the June 2025 attacks, the International Atomic Energy Agency had verified that Iran possessed 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, enough, if further enriched, for approximately 10 nuclear weapons under the agency’s standard measurement.
Most of the stockpile was believed to have been held at Isfahan, with additional material at Natanz and Fordow. Inspectors have since been unable to verify its amount, condition or present location.
The Institute for Science and International Security assesses that the material remains trapped at those three sites and does not believe enriched uranium has entered Pickaxe.
The administration has not said whether the United States independently corroborated the reported Israeli assessment, whether centrifuges are being stored or installed inside Pickaxe or whether nuclear material has entered the facility.
Storing centrifuges would not make Pickaxe an operational enrichment plant. The machines would have to be installed in connected cascades, linked to electrical, ventilation and piping systems and fed uranium gas.
Satellite imagery shows continued construction but no indication that Pickaxe is operational, according to the Washington-based institute. Images from February showed Iran adding concrete, rock and reinforced structures over tunnel portals in an apparent effort to harden them against airstrikes.
Analysts also observed smaller closed-roof vehicles near the entrances that could indicate Iran was outfitting the interior. The imagery could not establish what the vehicles carried.
Spencer Faragasso, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Science and International Security, said earlier U.S. and Israeli attacks prioritized Iran’s operating enrichment program. Based on what was understood about Pickaxe at the time, he said, there was «nothing of priority» inside that warranted expending valuable deep-penetrating weapons.
«The facility is still under construction, and it’s unlikely that a centrifuge plant is operating inside there,» Faragasso told Fox News Digital.
But Faragasso said centrifuges could have entered aboard covered trucks without being detected in commercial imagery, making the reported Israeli intelligence plausible but impossible for outside analysts to confirm.
The reported transfer could help explain Trump’s recent focus on Pickaxe, he said. The facility is also one of the last nuclear-related sites of its size that has not been struck.
Trump did not publicly name Pickaxe during the opening months of Operation Epic Fury. It entered his public rhetoric July 13, when conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt raised the facility during an interview.
Trump said American surveillance had detected no activity there but called Pickaxe a possible target for a «nice big fat shot right into the front door.»
At the end of the interview, Hewitt urged Trump to «go get Pickaxe Mountain.»
«We’re going to take out Pickaxe Mountain,» Trump replied. «Tell the Iranians to be ready.»
The White House could not be reached for comment for this story.
The administration has not explained whether the recent threats reflect new intelligence, an effort to deter Iran from activating the facility or a shift from destroying existing enrichment capacity to preventing Iran from rebuilding.
Whether the United States could destroy Pickaxe from the air remains disputed.
Nicole Grajewski, an assistant professor at Sciences Po and nonresident scholar in the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Nuclear Policy Program, said it would be «very close to impossible» to destroy the facility through an air campaign like the one the United States carried out against Fordow.
People stand on a bridge destroyed after a strike in Hormozgan province, southern Iran, Saturday, July 18, 2026. (Amirhosein Khorgooi/Iranian Students’ News Agency via AP)
Pickaxe is deeper and more heavily fortified, she said, and does not have a publicly confirmed structural weakness comparable to those exploited there.
Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Spalding, a former B-2 operations commander, said planners would first determine whether the mission required destroying Pickaxe’s interior or merely preventing Iran from using it.
«You assess what the goals are, and then you assess the costs associated with making something not fit for use — or destruction,» Spalding said.
If destroying the facility proved infeasible, he said, the U.S. could instead deny access and prevent Iran from bringing in the personnel and equipment needed to operate it.
The institute has identified two possible ventilation-shaft locations through satellite imagery, including one it considers probable. Without internal schematics, however, analysts cannot confirm their purpose or connection to the main chambers.
Faragasso said the shafts could provide weak points for deep-penetrating weapons, although the results of an attack might remain unclear.
«The facility is not invulnerable,» he said. «There are options.»
«At the minimum, the tunnel entrances can be collapsed,» Faragasso added, saying a strike could also send damaging shock waves into the facility.
Grajewski said collapsing the portals would prevent Iran from moving personnel or equipment in or out without first undertaking an excavation visible to American and Israeli surveillance. Any effort to reopen Pickaxe could trigger another strike.
But Iran has previously excavated entrances to missile tunnels after they were attacked, meaning keeping Pickaxe closed could require continued surveillance and repeated military action.
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Grajewski said a strike could provide the U.S. with a «symbolic win» against one of Iran’s most prominent remaining nuclear-related facilities but would not eliminate the broader program.
«It is a very high-value facility,» she said. «But it’s not the entirety of the Iranian nuclear program.»
war with iran, nuclear proliferation, middle east, national security, politics
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