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We have covered the persecution of Iraqi Christians for many months, as jihadists continue to exert their influence and reassert the depredations of dhimmitude. From The Independent, with thanks to Kemaste:
It was midnight in Baghdad, not a time to be out in this place of violence. But the workers from the Baghdad Hunting Club had almost made it back home through the deserted streets when the tyres of their Kia minibus were shredded by a burst of gunfire.The shots had come from a black Opel saloon which had tracked them from the club - a prestigious haunt of Iraq's new rich - after finishing the late shift. Four men, their faces covered by keffiyehs, slid open the door of the minibus and sprayed the occupants with Kalashnikov fire.
Their targets, seven Christians, were killed almost instantly. Two others were injured but survived. The dead were all breadwinners for their families in the close-knit Christian community in the suburb of al-Doura. These families now want to leave Iraq, joining the exodus of thousands of their co-religionists since the war.
The murders were the latest deadly attack against Iraq's Christians, a systematic and brutal campaign by Islamic extremists which began soon after the "liberation" by the United States and Britain. So far, 110 have been killed. In August, four churches in Baghdad and one in Mosul were blown up in a co-ordinated series of car bombings, killing 12 people and injuring 61 others.
In September, another Baghdad church was bombed. There have also been mortar attacks on community centres, shootings of Christian shopkeepers and kidnappings of businessmen for extortion.
The result had been a flow of Christians - mostly middle-class and members of the intelligentsia and entrepreneurs - out of the country, with a marked acceleration in the past few months. About 45,000 have gone so far out of a community estimated to be between 600,000 and 700,000.
Pascale Warda, the Iraqi interim government's minister for displacement and migration, who is herself a Christian, says there is no chance of halting the exodus while the attacks continue.
Christians in Iraq faced little religious persecution under the secular regime of Saddam Hussein. Senior members of the Baath party, including Tariq Aziz, the deputy prime minister, were Christians. Now, they say, they receive scant protection from the US and British military in the face of the onslaught. Some of the early killings, mainly of shopkeepers, happened in the supposedly safer, British-run south of the country.
The interim government's national security adviser, Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, blames the church bombings on followers of the Jordanian-born Sunni militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Iraqi police say fighters from Muqtada Sadr's Mehdi Army could be responsible for those and other sectarian attacks. But whatever the truth, hardly anyone has been arrested....
Christians are often targeted in Iraq's thriving abduction industry because they are perceived as being well off. Samir Sajouri, 33, was kidnapped from his furniture shop and held for a week until his family paid a ransom of $35,000. Now he is taking his wife and three children to Jordan.
"We did not have the money," he said. "My wife had to sell stock and borrow to pay this. I was treated very badly by the men who had kidnapped me. They beat me and kicked me. There were always insults because I am a Christian. It is strange - 90 per cent of those I employed were Muslims," said Mr Sajouri.
At the Church of the Holy Rosary in Karada, Father Butros Haddad was seeing a parishioner seeking her son's baptism certificate. "It means they are leaving Iraq," he said. "Every day I hear about one or two families leaving from this parish and others. I have been a priest for 35 years and I have never seen the community face such a time of lawlessness.
"It is not bad just for the Christians: our fellow Iraqis - Muslims - are also suffering. But on top of all other troubles, the Christians feel they are being especially targeted. The problem is that the Americans don't seem to be able to do anything about security. There is a sense of terrible fear."
They can't, or they won't. The last thing the State Department wants to be seen doing is protecting Christians in Iraq.
Posted by Robert at October 14, 2004 10:54 AM
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I wonder why we the USA are not doing more to protect the Iraqi Christians.
Maybe we are still waiting for the Iraqis to stand up for there freedom?
Well when all the Christians leave, Iraq will be a happy place full of Moslem idiots!!
I think the Iraqi people should take up arms and fight these Moslem pigs and rid their Country of the few unpeaceful Moslems. Then we will see how many unpeaceful Moslems there really are!!
No Islam, Know Peace
Posted by: Bar![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 14, 2004 11:55 AM
These folks can become an invaluable pool from which to recruit an elite vanguard of HUMINT operatives for the ideological clash that is only just now beginning.
Posted by: Hulegu Khan at October 14, 2004 2:10 PM
Hulegu: Good point - but didn't the FBI a year or two ago turn down help from Sephardic Jews in New York who wanted to be translators - all were fluent in Arabic. What's that quote about "military intelligence" being an oxymoron.
Posted by: johnb at October 14, 2004 2:42 PM
I was watching a special about the history of the Mafiaoso in Italy. How at one time just about everything -- politicians, lawyers, and Judges were corrupt. How if any righteous man or woman opposed them they were dead meat.
People were murdered daily, there were car bombs daily until finally the Italian people could no longer take it. They took to the streets in mass and protested these corrupt, murdering bastards forcfully condemning them.
This is what has to happen in the Iraq and Muslim world!
Muslims have to stop blaming everybody but the terrorist dogs whose actions have brought shadow, fear and suspicion to the word "Muslim" all over the world.
Aren't they getting sick of burying their innocent loved ones who are, let's face it, killed EVERY SINGLE DAY by Islamists! Their children are slaughtered for getting candy from soldiers, their sons are murdered for wanting to work! It's such a bloody waste, when are they going to get fed up and start taking care of this once and for all?
I pray Ayad Allawi takes the first step to rid these psychopathic monsters from their midst...
Posted by: Kemaste at October 14, 2004 3:00 PM
The situation of Christian minorities in Islamic countries is on a knife edge, quite literally, as they are subject to murder at the whim of any mullah who excites an excitable muslim rabble to do the behest of the koran; ie kill Christians and Jews.
As for the coalition in Iraq, they are so PCfied that they have effectively become dhimmis. They dare not help Christians, so terrified are they of being accused of siding with Christians. They would prefer Christians were exterminated then provide ordinary security to Christians.
This must be one of the first occasions in history where an occupying force is in reality a dhimmi.
As I've said for long time on LGF (atleast a year before the invasion of Iraq)- the West is not at present able to wage a war as it should. Its hands are tied by PC. The result is bad news for both victor and defeated, as is apparant by the problems of the coalition and the dire trouble that ordinary Iraqis find themselves in.
Posted by: DP111 at October 14, 2004 4:24 PM
Unfortunately, a very large number of Christian Arabs from Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria are fiercely anti-Jewish.
If this culture of anti-Semitism does not predominate among Assyrian Christians, then the best solution is for the Bush administration to facilitate their immigration to the U.S. We may serve the cause of human rights while gaining valuable allies in the War on Terror.
Even if they cannot be hired by the FBI and CIA, they can serve as translators for many of the private organiztions that track terrorism (like the Site Institute and MEMRI). They can also fill the acute demand for Arabic teachers in America.
Posted by: Rublev at October 14, 2004 4:48 PM
Why don't we hear about christian Iraqi's on the media? Why aren't they allowed as refugees into the west?
Posted by: Voltaire at October 14, 2004 7:23 PM
After seeing how quiet the Arab world was when several Churches were bombed during Holy services,I'm not surprised at these silent bigots that allow the attacks on Christians,
Muslims try to claim that Jesus was one of many revered Prophets in the Quran,but just try to build a temple in Saudi Arabia that pays tribute to the Prophet Jesus. The Arabs see it as a Church and fear the Peaceful teachings of Jesus will dilute the Jihadist mindset that gets hammered into Muslim children.
NO ISLAM - KNOW PEACE
Posted by: ala-sux at October 14, 2004 8:36 PM
Gee the poor islamists are so terrifed by all those war mongering christians. After all those pesky christians have been causing such destruction in Iraq. For example christians have engaged in 0 suicide bombings, 0 road-side ambushes, 0 insurgenices, 0 hostage takings/beheadings. This is outrageous!!! They are so uncivilised!!!
Those evil christians also are per capita much greater contributers to the iraqi economy than muslims. We must lynch those christians before it is too late. How will we ever be able to get back to the stone age and become cavemen again eating head lice all day if these christians are still around? Oh Allah save us!!
Posted by: obl r us at October 14, 2004 8:53 PM
I cry every time I read about things like this. It's so ....... frustrating knowing from first hand experience that things like this are ok to the moslems. Even the educated ones. Maybe not all, but at least a lot of them, and the rest ....... , they just simply don't care.
How do you change it?
Posted by: jasmine at October 15, 2004 2:43 AM
Excuse me, an article in spanish in zenit, tomorrow I will get i english
Código: ZS04101506
Fecha publicación: 2004-10-15
¿Quién protege a los cristianos?, pregunta un sacerdote desde Irak
Desde las mezquitas se atizan los ataques contra cristianos
MOSUL, viernes, 15 octubre 2004 (ZENIT.org).- El órgano informativo misionero del Vaticano --«Fides»-- está alertando esta semana de la «cacería» desatada en Irak contra los cristianos y se hace portavoz de un llamamiento a la comunidad internacional para evitar una verdadera «matanza».
Desde Mosul, en el norte de Irak, ha denunciado la situación el padre Nizar Semaan, quien reconoce el miedo que existe «entre los cristianos, que son amenazados por los grupos radicales que actúan a plena luz del día» en la ciudad «y nadie es capaz de detenerlos».
Se trata de «movimientos» que «están destruyendo la sociedad y la convivencia pacífica entre los cristianos y musulmanes», explica el sacerdote católico sirio a la agencia de la Congregación vaticana para la Evangelización de los Pueblos.
De acuerdo con el padre Semaan, «en las últimas semanas grupos sunitas --«wahabitas» [de una secta fundamentalista del Islam, iniciada por Mohamed Ibnd Abdul Wuahab en Arabia Central, que interpreta el Corán en forma muy literal. Uno de sus seguidores es Osama bin Laden. Ndr.]-- han amenazado en Mosul a los sacerdotes, religiosos dominicos y a toda la población cristiana ordenándoles que abandonen la ciudad y todas sus posesiones».
«Los pocos cristianos que quieren vender sus negocios en Mosul no logran encontrar compradores porque el Imán declaró en el sermón de viernes: "No compréis nada a los infieles (los cristianos) porque mañana tendrán que dejar la ciudad a la fuerza y podremos tomar gratuitamente todo lo que tienen», denuncia.
Mientras, «en las calles no se pueden soportar más las ofensas y los comportamientos de los extremistas, sobre todo con las jóvenes cristianas --lamenta--. Las estudiantes universitarias son obligadas a usar el velo para poder entrar en la universidad».
La situación representa «un verdadero drama para los cristianos, y todos se preguntan: ¿quién nos protege? –admite el sacerdote católico--. Si nos dirigimos a los americanos somos acusados de ser colaboracionistas y traidores y por tanto merecedores de la muerte; si acudimos a los kurdos y les pedimos su protección nos acusan de trabajar contra la unidad de Irak».
Con todo, «muchos musulmanes de Mosul, hombres de buena voluntad, son contrarios a estas amenazas, pero tienen demasiado miedo a denunciarlo --añade--. El alcalde de la ciudad ha advertido a estos grupos que dejen de atacar a los cristianos; se espera que se haga algo antes de que se pierda el control de la situación».
Por su parte, «diversos cristianos, incluso personas acomodadas de Bagdad, están abandonando sus ciudades para ir a Siria o Jordania, o bien al norte, donde encuentran la protección de los kurdos», confirma el padre Semaan.
De hecho, «muchos médicos, ingenieros y profesores universitarios han dejado Irak a causa de las amenazas recibidas --constata--. Los que han decidido quedarse se ven sometidos a chantajes continuos: si quieren permanecer con vida tienen que pagar fuertes sumas».
Esto también manifiesta «una guerra abierta contra las personas de talento y contra los que trabajan por mejorar la situación del país», pues en opinión del sacerdote «éste es el objetivo de los extremistas: vaciar Irak de las personas de cultura y empresarios para conseguir que queden solo los terroristas en el terreno. Así Irak es entregado a los ignorantes y a grupos radicales islámicos».
«No sólo en las grandes ciudades, sino también en las pequeñas aldeas en las que los cristianos constituyen la mayor parte de los habitantes existe el mismo problema de seguridad –subraya el sacerdote sirio--. Estas aldeas están rodeadas por pequeños centros musulmanes donde la gente está armada “hasta los dientes” porque han recuperado el armamento del ejército de Saddam».
Una religiosa iraquí –en el anonimato por razones de seguridad— denuncia también la «pesadilla que viven los cristianos» «de ser atacados inesperadamente en sus casas, secuestrados y matados por grupos de terroristas radicales islámicos».
Éstos «irrumpen en las casas de los cristianos, toman a quien quieren, secuestran y matan. Y la responsabilidad también es de algunos Imanes que lo fomentan, diciendo en las mezquitas que matar a un cristiano no es un crimen ni se tiene culpa ante Dios», denuncia ante «Fides».
En Mosul, antes «una ciudad muy tranquila», «ahora se ha hecho imposible la vida para nosotros» --reconoce la religiosa--; «se está realizando una verdadera caza al hombre y la vida se ha transformado para las familias cristianas en una pesadilla».
«Las familias son amenazadas y están aterrorizadas --describe--. Todo es un caos y los cristianos son quienes sufren las consecuencias, porque no se vengan: son gente pacífica que no tiene armas».
De acuerdo con la religiosa, hay ausencia completa de «policía y autoridades civiles para gobernar esta situación de anarquía».
«Muchos miembros de estas milicias integristas son conocidos, pero nadie hace nada. E incluso nuestros amigos musulmanes, nuestros vecinos, gente pacífica, se encuentran en la impotencia y no pueden hacer nada. Desde nuestra pequeñez sólo podemos rezar», admite.
«¿Cuánto tiempo permanecerán así los cristianos esperando la muerte? –exclama el padre Nizar Semaan-- Quisiera pedir a la sociedad civil internacional y a toda la gente de buena voluntad que intervengan para evitar una verdadera matanza: no tenemos que esperar un nuevo Darfur».
«Tenemos que actuar, y deprisa; el mundo tiene que entender nuestro sufrimiento. Queremos estar en esta tierra. Si los cristianos dejaran Irak, ¿cuál será el futuro de esta nación? --alerta--. Seguramente un futuro negro, pues la presencia de los cristianos aquí constituye realmente una sólida contribución para construir la democracia».
The voice of the catholics in Irak, ask for who is protecting the christians? "from mosques they are saying that they have to attack us, the rich christians are emigrating to Siria and Jordan."
(My opinion)It´s very shameful, I am happy because Iran doesn´t have many christians, I hope Siria isn´t attacked. Greetings
at October 15, 2004 3:06 PM
Posted by: jasmine
How do you change it?
I think we need to kick Moslem ass.
Most of our enemies hang out in ONE place this month.
If we were as barbaric as them we would use this time to takeout a lot of those peace loving Moslems and send them to home to Allah where they belong.
Maybe that would cut down on their ability to rise money and practice jihad.
A biological weapon could do wonders. Q fever would work very nice..
Also Ebola, Saxitoxin. Or something that makes it look natural.
I say this in respect to Al Qaeda and their words..
We have not reached parity with them. We have the right to kill 4 million Americans -- 2 million of them children -- and to exile twice as many and wound and cripple hundreds of thousands. Furthermore, it is our right to fight them with chemical and biological weapons, so as to afflict them with the fatal maladies that have afflicted the Muslims because of the [Americans'] chemical and biological weapons."
Islamic terrorist group "Al Qaeda"
June 12, 2002
No Islam, Know Peace
Posted by: Bar at October 15, 2004 4:34 PM
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