Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa on Thursday accused "dubious agencies" of attempting to put down the revolution that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak.
“Attempts to revive sectarianism after unity witnessed among Muslims and Copts during the revolution raises doubts towards dubious agencies that aim at thwarting the revolution,” said Moussa.
Moussa expressed his shock regarding bloody clashes that erupted Tuesday between Muslims and Copts as Copts protested a church burning.
Moussa called on police to return quickly to the streets to protect citizens. He also said those who attacked public property, especially places of worship, should be prosecuted.
Violent clashes erupted Tuesday between hundreds of Copts and Salafis in the Zarayeb area of Moqattam, which led to the injury of 140 people and the deaths of at least 13 Christians and Muslims.
Coptic Christians were protesting an attack by a group of Muslims on a church in Atfeeh, Helwan, Saturday, which was sparked by a romance between a Coptic man and a Muslim woman.
Some observers speculated that State Security may have instigated the recent wave of sectarian strife in order to distract protesters who are demanding that the state's secretive investigation apparatus be dismantled.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Muslim Brotherhood accused the remaining members of the ousted regime of attempting to ignite sectarian tensions to destroy national unity.
"These people are operating under the principle of "divide to conquer" and have incited a group of Muslim extremists to bring up other sectarian issues, which should not be discussed at present," the statement read
