An Egyptian TV host went off script Friday, saying that it was justifiable for jihadis to attack churches, but not for them to attack mosques.
The Sada al-Balad Media Group quickly suspended host Rasha Magdi after her remarks, which she made in reference to the recent Sinai mosque attack in which ISIS militants killed 305 people, according to Egypt Independent. Magdi claimed that it was understandable for jihadists to attack Christians since jihadists view them as enemies of Islam and was therefore mutual violence, but that a jihadist attack on a mosque was an attack on their own.
“We saw attacks by terrorists on the police and army, and we said this is mutual violence. These extremist groups have attacked churches and we said that they think it is a [different] religion, not Islam, and it is hostile to them, and then we said it is okay, but how [can these groups attack] Muslims,” Magdi said according to Egypt Independent.
Magdi has a history of expressing sympathy for Islamic terrorist attacks against Christians, and has had several lawsuits filed against her alleging that she incited hate against Coptic Christians, particularly with her comments on the 2011 Maspero massacre in which the Egyptian army killed over 25 Coptic Christians.
“Copts had put Egyptian soldiers in peril,” Magdi said the night of the massacre, according to The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. Magdi also encouraged “all honorable citizens” to aid the army in their attack on the Coptics.
Abu El-Enein, owner of the media group, issued a statement following Magdi’s suspension, denouncing the terrorist attack, praising the army and the police, and expressing support for all Egyptians regardless of faith.
“We in Egypt are one people, there is no difference between a Muslim and a Christian. All of us are equal. We live together in safety. […] terrorism and aggression against the [people] are criminal acts,” the statement read.
El-Enein launched an internal investigation of Magdi in addition to suspending her.
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