Copts hold conference in Egypt to reply to US allegations

Egyptian Copts will hold a conference this evening that will be attended by the parties' leaders, political forces, the representatives of the government and Islamic theologians to express opposition to US policies that interfere in Egyptian affairs.

Official Coptic sources from the conference said that the Egyptian Copts view the US Congress as taking advantage of "persecution claims" by some Copts to draft laws against religious persecution as is being considered in the US congress under the Wolf-Specter bill.

Some Coptic assemblies abroad have said the Coptics' exposure to persecution is evidence that they are being used as a tool in the hands of foreign forces, since there is no such persecution.