Egypt's Attorney General, Abdelmajid Mahmoud Egypt's Attorney General Abdelmajid Mahmoud ordered investigation over the return of Satanists in Egypt, ten years after Egyptian heavy metal fans where accused of adopting Satanism before they were later acquitted by an Egyptian court. The Muslim Brotherhood filed the lawsuit after they were told that some people were seen wearing "black Satanist T-shirts and Satanist-designed accessories" at heavy metal concerts in Cairo.
The Egyptian Prosecution Authority demanded the Sawy Wheel Centre - where the concert took place - to send them the CD of the concert held last Friday, August 31. Interior Minister Mohammed Gamaleddine issued an order to arrest those who were wearing these clothes and accessories. He also ordered the National Security Agency - known in the past of its involvement in oppressing political opposition against Hosni Mubarak's regime - to collect information about the case.
Speaking to Arabstoday, the Sawy Wheel Centre's owner Mohammed al-Sawy denied the allegation, stressing that what happened last Friday was "only a normal heavy metal concert". He added that he doesn't believe that Satanism is even existent amongst the Egyptians, whom he said are "religious people by instinct."
Sawy, who is a former Culture Minister and MP said that his Centre would have never tolerated such things to happen, adding that the concerts held in this centre are helping the Egyptian youth expressing their talents openly.
This case comes after many complaints from Egyptian artists and intellectuals about a considerable rise in hostility against arts and cultural activities in Egypt, since the Islamists took over in the country.