The Islamic State statement reads:
The Targeting of a Christian Church in Kizlyar City of Dagestan
Putting his trust in Allah, one of the zealous soldiers of Islam, Khalil ad-Dagestani (may Allah accept him) set out towards the Christian temple of George in Kizlyar city in Dagestan. He targeted the Crusaders with his rifle, killing 5 of them and wounding 4 others, and to Allah belongs all honor, and to His messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites don’t know, and all praise is due to Allah.
Not that this has anything to do with Islam and all that, but that last bit is from the Qur’an: “They say, ‘If we return to Medina, the more honored will surely expel from there the more humble.’ And to Allah belongs all honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.” (63:8)
“ISIS Claims Deadly Attack on Church in Russian Region of Dagestan,” by Andrew E. Kramer and Rukmini Callimachi, New York Times, February 18, 2018:
A man carrying a knife and a hunting rifle opened fire on worshipers on Sunday at an Orthodox church in Kizlyar, in the Dagestan region of Russia, killing at least five people and wounding several others, according to a Russian state news agency.
The gunman shouted, “Allahu akbar” and began firing, a priest told the local news media. Churchgoers said they had prevented more casualties by closing the door to the church and stopping the attacker from getting inside.
The man was later shot and killed by security forces on duty at the time, reports said. The assailant was identified only as a 22-year-old man from the region, the Russian news agency Tass said.
The Islamic State claimed credit for the attack on the church, issuing a bulletin on its Amaq news agency, followed by a lengthier official statement in which the group described the assailant as a “soldier of the caliphate” and provided a nom de guerre for the attacker, Khalil al-Dagestani.
Not long afterward, pro-Islamic State channels on the Telegram app released a video showing a man said to be the assailant sitting before the Islamic State flag, his face covered by a ski mask. A gun and a long knife leaned against the wall behind him, presumably the weapons that would later be used in the attack.
In the video, the man pledges allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Islamic State leader, referring to him as “the Emir of the believers,” the honorific that Islamic State members reserve for the man they view as their caliph.
While the authenticity of the video could not be independently confirmed, Islamic State members and supporters were promoting it online.
The attack took place in Kizlyar, a town of about 50,000 people on the Terek River delta on the border with Chechnya, Tass said.
Sunday is the last day before Orthodox Christian Lent. The Russian RBK Daily quoted an Orthodox priest as saying that the attacker had opened fire on churchgoers after an afternoon service.
The priest, identified as Father Pavel, said: “We had finished the Mass and were beginning to leave the church. A bearded man ran towards the church shouting, ‘Allahu akbar.’ ”
Four women died at the scene, and a fifth died of her injuries at a hospital, a Health Ministry spokeswoman, Zalina Mourtazalieva, told Tass. Two Russian police officers were among five people injured in the attack.
The local Interior Ministry said the gunman had acted alone, according to the Interfax news agency.
After the man was shot and killed, photos circulating on media sites online showed the body of a man dressed in camouflage pants lying on the ground. His head was bloodied, and empty cartridges were scattered nearby. Other images showed what appeared to be a weapon….
A recent report by the Soufan Group, which offers strategic security intelligence services to governments and multinationals, determined that countries belonging to the former Soviet Union have sent the highest number of foreign fighters to Syria, accounting for about 8,700 of the estimated 40,000 foreigners who have traveled to join the jihad.
mortimer says
Churches must get a member of the congregation to act as a security guard. It is sad, but churches with ‘greeters’ must now train them and their ‘vergers’ in counter-terrorist defense!
ALL CHURCH DENOMINATIONS should start TRAINING PROGRAMS to thwart JIHADIST ATTACKS AGAINST CHRISTIANS WORSHIPPING!
IT IS URGENT! Church leaders! ARE YOU LISTENING?
Jayell says
I think we already know about this in the UK after a vicar in Tower Hamets was beaten up by a gang of muslim youths because they thought his 18th century church should have been a mosque, more than than one church in ‘enriched’ Bradford has been the subject of arson attacks, and the church with which I’m involved in a nice, ‘unenriched’ part of east London has had bricks through its windows courtesy of gangs of muslim youths from a council estate round the corner. Also, why don’t these IS idiots realise that the crusades were 800 years ago?
Michael Copeland says
“Our Land is one, Our War is one …” – muslim placard.
Islam is in “a permanent state of war” with all other systems of governance (Al Azhar).
Michael Copeland says
Coming soon, to a church near you.
Incidentally, the pictures show a shotgun, and shotgun cartridges.
Billy Chickens says
Islam is the evil filth of the devil. Allah is satan himself.
R Russell says
…”Blessed in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints”
Cunamarra says
It is interesting the degree of psychological trauma Muslims experience when someone displays the audacity and self respect of retaliating against Islamic depredations. If the current generation of Western posterity with their modern capabilities had a mustard seed of the grit of their ancestors, Islam would cease to be a problem.
DHazard says
Right now the grit that spurred the reconquest of Spain from the Muslims has been turned upside down.
Jihadis don’t even need a Trojan Horse. Their enemies welcome them and turn a blind eye to their intentions. Today’s heroes are the people who put up the “Not Welcome” sign, like the Hungarians and the Poles. And they are also the American Soldiers in Iraq, who later watched as their sacrifice and bravery was undone by timid men in denial and shame of their own power.
MFritz says
At 83% islam Dagestan’s churches will need armed guards in years to come.
HugoHackenbush says
I have several rules of travel these days:
1. Don’t go to places that a large fraction of the population would like to leave.
2. Don’t go to places where anyone has tried to mail themselves to the United States (Ok, ship themselves in a container as in “container” ship).
3. Don’t go to places were the rule of law is absent or marginal and “being connected” is a big plus.
4. Don’t go to places whose official name contains the words “democratic” or “republic”. The use of such words guarantees that the place is neither.
5. And, finally, NEVER, EVER, EVER go to anyplace whose name ends in …stan.
Gjallarhornet says
Bill Maher said that the ‘stans’ are ‘basically … the faraway countries with the people who hate us. The ‘where the hell is thatstan, the fuckyoustan, and so on.
DHazard says
Using the word “Crusader” shows something meaningful about Islamist (and maybe Muslim) psychology. They are slaves to the past. Their minds see a black and white world, which is what Muhammad wanted from his followers; ancient enemies everywhere they look.
Lydia Church says
I know, it’s just more typical islamic aggression.
They invade and mutilate and butcher.
Then the societies defend themselves in something they called the crusades.
And that makes the crusaders ‘bad’???
Typical muslim mindset.
Just like with the nazi’s, you had to fight back or it would spread and take over and kill all in sight.
Was the Allied effort ‘bad’ for defeating the nazi’s too, from taking over the world?
What then, is the difference???
And by the way, I know people who are Christians and came from places like Ethiopia and areas around there and they told me that these muslims not only imprison and kill, but slowly torture the victims in ways I can’t repeat here. And they enjoy it. Pure satanic evil. Other sources confirm this about what goes on there. But that is how they are once they gain control. The more power they get the more they show their true colors that way. And you can’t have it all, it’s them or us. Once they get the upper hand they eliminate everyone else (not that they wait until then to strike), so the only way is not to let them in to begin with. But…. too late!!!
Vic says
I am always puzzled by the praises showered upon terrorists for killing defenseless, unarmed people in places they know guns and other weapons are banned. Same goes for “honor killings”, raping defenseless minors and women. What honor is there in any of that? How is that “worthy” of honor? Or worse yet, to offer it to a god to bring glory to his name? Islam is a sick and perverted cult that savages and brutalizes God’s creation at every turn–so much evil.
Gjallarhornet says
What’s wrong with crusading?
Indiana Tom says
He targeted the Crusaders with his rifle, killing 5 of them and wounding 4 others, and to Allah belongs all honor, and to His messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites don’t know, and all praise is due to Allah.
But the believer’s don’t know and can’t tell the difference between a rifle and a shogun.
At least people in the MidWest can tell the difference between a shotgun and a rifle.
gravenimage says
Islamic State claims Dagestan church attack: “He targeted the Crusaders with his rifle”
…………………….
Notice that all of these “Crusaders” were unarmed women at worship…