CAIRO, June 24: The caretaker pope of Egypt's Coptic Church, Bishop Pachomius, on Sunday congratulated the Islamist Mohamed Morsi on winning the country's presidential election, state television reported.

“Bishop Pachomius congratulates Mohamed Morsi,” it reported.

The bishop was appointed interim head of the church and spiritual representative of roughly 10 million Copts after Pope Shenouda's death in March.

Many Coptic Christians had feared a win by the Islamist as they had witnessed an increase in sectarian attacks since the overthrow of president Hosni Mubarak early last year.—AFP