A unique group of Egyptian Islamists have come out to speak against President Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, urging them not to mix religion with politics.
The group members who chose to name themselves after widely-known coffee chain, Costa, have emerged on the political scene to express opinions contradicting those belonging to mainstream Islamic figures in Egypt.
The group’s co-founder, Mohammed Tolba, called on President Morsi to speak to the people to put an end to the crisis.
Religion, they say, unites people, as they called on Egyptian political conservatives to recognize the liberal opposition. The members say they are committed to maintaining a moderate understanding of Islam.
“Why are they opposing negotiations, or not even recognizing that there are other voices in the country, what is this? Someone should stand up and accept the responsibility,” Tolba said.
In response to recent clashes between opposition groups, Tolba said he was surprised to see some Egyptians claiming to belong to Islamist movements granting themselves the right to attack others. And ultimately, Salafyo Costa say their aim is to unite Egyptians under one front.
After days of clashes between supporters and opponents of Morsi, Salafyo Costa expressed grief over the political storm the country is experiencing.
“All these conspiracy theories should be laid to rest. Officials should come out and talk to us as humans, with brains that think, instead of thinking that they are superior to us and have insider information,” said Tolba.
“If any groups that talk about conspiracies really do have insider information then they should disclose it. This would be true transparency,” he added.
Salafyo Costa is a web-based political forum founded by Salafis who decided to adopt the world-famous coffee brand. The group was launched after the March referendum on Egypt’s constitutional amendments in 2011.
Salafyo Costa was formed by a group of friends who used to frequently visit a Costa Coffee outlet in the Cairo province of Mohandessin.
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