Letter: Fears for Copts

Fear is mounting among Christians throughout the Middle East that rioters will turn on them, and their churches have already received letters with the message: "You're next."

For decades, secular Arab governments protected Christian and other minorities by enforcing a strictly non-religious program and curbing the Muslim Brotherhood fanatics.

However, with Mubarak gone, Egypt's Copts are on their own and Salafi thugs shot up and firebombed Christian churches in Cairo on Saturday, killing 12 and injuring 230.

In many countries the Christians make up only 10 per cent of the population but they are often highly educated professionals in medicine, engineering and the government.

The "Arab Spring" has not proved to be a glad, confident morning but has instead brought widespread violence and is likely to end with total ethnic and religious cleansing.

(DR) John Cameron

Howard Place

St Andrews