[An Nahar] Egypt's churches have pulled out of a panel dominated by Islamists that is writing the country's post-revolt constitution, state television... and if you can't believe state television who can you believe?
announced on Saturday.
"Egypt's three churches have withdrawn from the constitutional assembly," state television
... and if you can't believe state television who can you believe?
quoted Bishop Pachomious -- the interim head of the Christian Coptic Orthodox church -- as saying.
The country's three churches -- the Coptic Orthodox church, the Coptic Catholic church and the Anglican church -- were represented by four people on the 100-member panel.
The Coptic Orthodox church's new pope, Tawadros II, said after his election last week that he would reject a constitution if it imposed a religious state in the Moslem-majority country.
"A constitution that hints at imposing a religious state in Egypt is absolutely rejected," he told journalists a day after he was chosen pope.
The panel, formed in June, is dominated by Islamists and includes politicians and public figures.
The new constitution is to replace the 1971 charter suspended by the military which took power when president Hosni Mubarak
...The former President-for-Life of Egypt, dumped by popular demand in early 2011...
was ousted in February last year.