Islamist preacher Ahmed Abdullah, known as “Abu Islam", was referred to trial, on Sunday, in a blasphemy case.

Prosecution has charged Abu Islam with contempt of religion and spreading news that are likely to disrupt public security.

Coptic lawyer Naguib Gabriel had come forward to the general prosecutor with a legal complaint against Abu Islam, accusing him of insulting the Christian faith and Egypt's women but specifically those who are Christian.

Abu Islam, owner of the Umma and Mariya satellite television channels, had said that 90 percent of female protesters who head to Tahrir Square are Christian, referring to them as "crusaders".

A recorded footage of the fundamentalist preacher saying, "these females go to demonstrations half-naked with the purpose of getting raped," had circulated the internet. 

The same cleric had once torn a copy of the bible in front of the American mission in Cairo during September protests against an anti-Islam film that sparked violence in Islamic countries.