Mr Patel said, "Our condolences are with the families who lost loved ones so tragically and our prayer's are for the recovery of the injured and traumatised". Mr Patel said,"The criminals who are intent on derailing cooperation and good will that has existed for centuries between religious groups, especially Christians and Muslims in this instance will find no favour at all with the majority of right minded human beings. Taking the life of an innocent person is never justified under any circumstances".
Mr Patel reiterated the sanctity and importance of human life in all religious teachings. Mr Patel said Muslims in Australia have formed partnerships with Christians and other religious communities to further the cause of one humanity, one goal – peaceful, harmonious co-existence and hopes this message can be echoed all over the world. There is enough room to accommodate different ideas and philosophies without resorting to acts of violence."
www.icv.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=44&Itemid=59
Six days later on Monday, 10 January 2011 the editor of the Islmaic Council of Victoria condemned terror threats on the Sydney Coptic church by an un-named Islamic organization. "We are already reeling from the recent terror bombings in Egypt and it is sickening to think that further attacks have been threatened so close to home," stated ICV president Hyder Gulam.
"We unequivocally condemn any terrorist attack or threat made in the name of religion. People from all faiths should feel safe to congregate in their place of worship without fear. It is an Islamic duty to protect places of worship as well as minorities."
Ramzi Elsayed, Vice President said, "I feel heartened by the fact that in Egypt many Muslims attended Coptic churches across the country to attend Coptic Christmas Eve mass, to show solidarity with the nation's Coptic minority, and also to serve as human shields."
He went on to say, "We are in the process of contacting Coptic churches in Australia as we wish to stand in solidarity with them and offer them any support or help that may be needed during this difficult time."
Well-Being Australia chairman Mark Tronson said that people with extreme views about society, will always find like-minded or sympathetic views whether they be skilled orators, people posting on websites, or under the auspices of one or other of the world's religions, and therefore it is very pleasing to read such reports by moderate Islamic leaders.
These megalomaniacs who 'gee up' disadvantaged young people in a supposed 'cause' need to be found and somehow stopped, Mark Tronson said.
As a Christian, Mark Tronson explained, it is my calling to bring peoples of all other religious convictions to a heart filled knowledge of Jesus' Salvation. Moderates of any religious faith who are law-abiding, gentle citizens, should not be persecuted by lawfully practicing their religious beliefs or sharing with those of other religions convictions their own predilections.
Mark Tronson noted that the NSW Police Minister Michael Daley noted that January's terror threats against four Coptic Orthodox churches in Sydney over their Eastern Orthodox Christmas celebrations (January 7) emanate from an Islamic extremist website.
Plain-clothed and uniformed police maintained a strong presence at the churches since the threat emerged earlier that week. The four sites were on a list of more than 60 Coptic churches worldwide that were reportedly the target of the unnamed Islamic group.
Mr Daley said it was "fair to say" that a website had been identified as the source of the threats. It follows an attack that killed 21 people in a New Year's Eve bomb blast at a Coptic church in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. Mr Daley said that the Coptic people of NSW needed to know that we are right there behind them.
The Coptic Orthodox church is the largest Christian church in Egypt and one of the strongest in the Middle East. It has about 20 million followers worldwide with almost half of them living outside of Egypt.
www.news.com.au/national/coptic-church-terror-threat-came-from-extremist-website/story-e6frfkwi-1225984177240
Mark Tronson, a retired Baptist minister says that it is a worry that any Islamic terror threat has come so openly to Australia, something the Islamic Council has likewise expressed their concerns.
He's enjoyed many Coptic Christian relationships over the years from his time as an industrial padre in Sydney in the eighties, to his Olympic ministry dating back to 1982.
There are two Coptic Orthodox Dioceses in Australia (Sydney and Melbourne) with over 50 parishes, two Monasteries, two theological Colleges and five schools. The Coptic Church is a member of National Council of Churches in Australia. Currently, the Coptic Orthodox Church has as many 100,000 members in Australia (in Sydney alone it is estimated that there are 70,000 Copts.)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coptic_Orthodox_Church_in_Australia
The Eastern Orthodox Coptic Church extends back to the first century with Alexandria as their international theological centre. The famous Alexandrian Library is a centre of Coptic learning. Belief and confession in the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit) is central to Coptic doctrine.
Mark Tronson says that the way Australian authorities have reacted to protect Australian Copts is commendable.
His concern is that Australia, a free society, will not be subjugated to a constant barrage of threats of terror to its citizens. Imagine an airport security scenario at every shopping mall, petrol station, traffic light and the like.
A recent stand for free speech by Sydney sculpturer Sergio Redegalli illustrates the dangers for the Australian way of life of public critique where he painted a mural on his wall objecting to the Burqas with some drama. Redegalli rightly says he is not being swayed by bullies and moreover, he said it stays in the interest of free speech and public interest.
Now we saw what's happening in Egypt with the people's cry for democracy. They want what the West has. It's a cry for economic well-being and a political voice to determine their own destiny.
bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2011/02/12/Victory_for_democracy_in_Egypt_576422.html
Mark Tronson says that the Egyptian Muslims were fed up with the type of Islamist anarchy that has been perpetrated, especially against their own people. We in Australia should be so fortunate that our Christian heritage is such a formidable foundation for peaceful co-existence.
spencerwatch.com/2011/02/03/spencer-proven-wrong-by-muslim-christian-unity-in-egypt/