More Pope Rage. From CNSNews.com, with thanks to DFS:
Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) – A previously unknown Palestinian Muslim group has threatened to bring destruction and physical harm to the Gaza Strip’s small Christian community if Pope Benedict XVI does not issue a detailed apology for remarks he cited linking Islam and violence….
In the disputed West Bank, a total of six churches — Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Anglican — were either firebombed or doused with gasoline and set alight. In Gaza City, gunmen fired on a Greek Orthodox church.
A leaflet issued by militants on Tuesday threatened to “target all Crusaders [a term frequently employed by Muslim Arabs to denote Christians] in the Gaza Strip until the pope issues an official apology.”
Calling themselves “The Army of Guidance,” the group announced that “all centers belonging to Crusaders, including churches and institutions, will from now on be targeted. We will even attack the Crusaders as they sit intoxicated in their homes.”
A Christian leader in Gaza City told The Jerusalem Post his community has “appealed to the Palestinian Authority for protection. Christians here are keeping a very low profile and many of them would like to leave the area out of fear for their lives.”
Palestinian Interior Ministry spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal told the Associated Press that security forces had been ordered to protect Christian sites, but he did not share the Gaza Christian community’s sense of urgency.
“This is a new name and an unknown group. I think this is empty talk,” said Abu Hilal.
But Dr. Walid Phares, a professor of Middle East Studies at Florida Atlantic University, told Cybercast News Service that the name of the group is unimportant.
“These aren’t really new organizations. These are the same Salafi (Wahabi) Jihadists, a mix of al Qaeda, Hizbu Tahrir, and elements from Hamas and Islamic Jihad who issue releases at every opportunity they see in ‘taking the Jihad worldwide,'” said Phares.
And he doesn’t doubt that they “would target Christians, both Western and locals.”
The only thing that would keep the group from going on what Phares called a “systematic rampage” against local Christians would be the Hamas government’s concern over international repercussions.
Yes, but they have been excused from accountability for so long by the international community, why should they fear repercussions now?