Church warns Egyptian sinners who dial-a-confession risk prison

Egyptian Christians should stop confessing their sins over the phone or risk going to jail, the head of the Coptic Church has warned.

Pope Shenuda III warned Egyptian Copts - who often use the telephone to maintain contact with their local parish priest when they are abroad - that the security services were tapping calls.

Shenuda III said: "Beware not to admit your sins over the telephone, because all phone conversations are recorded by the state security services. Otherwise, you will have to go seek absolution in prison, from the police, rather than from your local priest."

The cleric reportedly issued the warning to hundreds of worshippers during a sermon in Alexandria on Sunday. Copts are the Middle East's largest Christian community and make up about 10 percent of Egypt's largely Muslim population of 80 million.