"Poverty and misery, lack of democracy and human rights are a constant in Egypt, Tunis, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Yemen," said Lacunza, who served at the Rome institute from 2000 to 2006. "The youth see no future in front of them: no work possibilities, economic crisis, the divide between the filthy rich and the poor, political instability."

This creates "a fertile ground for religious extremism, anti-government action and widespread violence."

Lacunza was not surprised by street demonstrations in places such as Egypt and Tunisia — where a January revolution brought about the fall of the government of Zine el Abidine Ben Ali — and added that it was "not normal that a head of state remains in power for 30 years," as was the case with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

"Rulers want to stick to their seat of command at all costs, and democracy, they think, is not what they need. Arrests, imprisonment and persecution are normal against those who demand fundamental changes, civil freedoms and human rights," he said.

He also expressed concern for Egypt's Christians, whom he said are discriminated against because they are not Muslim. Christians in Egypt "suffer intolerance, discrimination and hatred. Their places of worship are attacked and they are the object of sectarian violence," he told CNS. "This is not new, and it might get worse in the future.

"The political atmosphere of today in Egypt bears a certain resemblance to that of the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 19th century," Lacunza said. "And there came the genocide of the Armenians. ... Few voices are heard today taking the defense of the Christians, the biggest persecuted group in the world — in Egypt, in majority Muslim states and in communist-rule countries."