Arresting out religion groups in Egypt

A judicial source in Alexandria said on Monday that Egyptian security forces arrested a group of 20 persons led by Muhammad Ibrahim Mahfouz (60) under charges of violating the Islamic religion.

Mahfouz stressed that he is "an incarnation of the divinity on earth" and that the "Almighty God" asked him "to amend the teaching of the religion."

In this framework he asked his followers to confine themselves to two prayers a day instead of five times a day. He claimed that Muslims should not go to Mecca for pilgrimage, rather to Alexandria where he lives.

The state's security department opened an investigation into his group under charges of violating religion, over which those who were arrested face sentences of five years imprisonment.