LOC20:27
17:27 GMT
BRUSSELS, Jan 4 (KUNA) -- Three Muslim organisations in the Netherlands
have offered to help protect three Coptic churches in the Netherlands from
possible attacks, the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported Tuesday.
The names of the three churches -- in Eindhoven, Utrecht and Amsterdam --
are listed on a website which is considered to have links to Al Qaida.
"Especially we must do this because al-Qaeda claims to operate in the name
of Islam. Christian Copts, indeed all the Dutch and we have exactly the same
enemies: the terrorists. It is high time to clarify this loud," said the three
Dutch Muslim organisations in the statement.
Police have already taken action to increase security around the Coptic
churches in Holland.
The Coptic church celebrates Christmas on January 7, and the website had
called for bomb attacks against Coptic churches on targets around Europe on
that date.
The priest of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Amsterdam, in response, thanked
the Muslim organisations and said they will give their proposal "serious
consideration."
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KUNA 042027 Jan 11NNNN