Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — The powerful Salafist movement, a partner of the Muslim
Brotherhood, has formed a militia in Egypt.

The Salafists have established a so-called religious police based on the
model in Saudi Arabia. They said the force, called the Promotion of Virtue
and Prevention of Vice Authority, consists of hundreds of volunteers who
patrol the streets of Egyptian cities and towns in search for those deemed
as violating Sharia, or Islamic law.

“This was formed in accordance with orders from party leadership,” a statement by the Salafist religious police said.

The Salafist Party has denied being involved in the formation of the religious police. A party spokesman also denied that the political movement launched funding of the militia with a check of 2,600 Egyptian pounds, or $431.

“Let them show us that check if they can,” Nour Party spokesman Nader Bakar, deemed a major element in the Salafist political movement, said.

Over the last year, the Salafists have emerged to become what the secular opposition regards as the biggest threat to non-Muslim minorities in Egypt. Opposition figures have accused the Salafists of organizing attacks on Christians and their churches since the ouster of
President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.

On Dec. 29, Muslims attacked Christians in the Bahig village in Assiyut
and torched at least three homes. Police helped the Christians leave
the village but failed to stop the arson.

The new religious police force was said to have been founded by members
of the Nour Party. The force was announced on Facebook by Nour members and
held its first meeting on Dec. 27.

“The authority would determine the jurisidiction of its volunteers and
form guidelines,” the Salafist militia said.

In the first stage, the statement said, Salafists, dressed in white
robes, would be armed with sticks and ordered to beat violators of Islamic
mores. Later, the Salafists would be given taser guns.

  2012: Salafists form religious police to enforce Sharia law, Bahig, Coptic Christians, Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, Nader Bakar, Nour Party, Salafist Party, Sharia