In this mailing:
- Raymond Ibrahim: Muslim Persecution of Christians: April 2012
- Khaled Abu Toameh: How Much Is Mahmoud Abbas Worth?
Muslim
Persecution of Christians: April 2012
"The police are also involved
in this."
by Raymond Ibrahim
May 18, 2012 at 5:00 am
May 18, 2012 at 5:00 am
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"500
Muslims had gathered and were watching in amusement as the extremists chased
and harassed the Christians, attempting to murder them all, for about 90
minutes."
As Easter, one of the highest Christian holidays,
comes in April, Christian persecution in Muslim nations—from sheer violence to
oppressive laws—was rampant: In Nigeria, where jihadis have expressed their
desire to expunge all traces of Christianity, a church was
bombed during Easter Sunday, killing some 50 worshippers; in Turkey, a
pastor was beaten by Muslims immediately following Easter service and
threatened with death unless he converted to Islam; and in Iran, Easter
Sunday saw 12 Christians stand trial as "apostates."
The persecution of Christians has come to
regions not normally associated with it. As in Nigeria, Muslim militants are
now also running amok in Timbuktu, Mali—beheading a
Christian leader and threatening other Christians with similar treatment.
Sharia law has been imposed, churches are being destroyed, and Christians are
fleeing Timbuktu in mass.
Categorized by theme, April's assemblage of
Muslim persecution of Christians around the world includes (but is not limited
to) the following accounts, listed in alphabetical order by country, not
severity:
Church Attacks
Azerbaijan: A church in the
Muslim-majority nation has "become the first religious community to be liquidated
by a court since the country's harsh new 'Religion Law,' requiring all
previously registered religious institutions to re-register, came into force in
2009. Greater Grace Protestant Church in the capital, Baku, "was stripped
of its registration at a 15-minute hearing on 25 April. The decision, which was
made in the absence of any church representatives, makes any activity by the
church illegal and subject to punishment."
Indonesia: Gunmen opened
fire on the GKI Yasmin church, causing much damage, in the latest attack on
the building, which has been illegally sealed off by authorities since 2008 in
response to Muslim demands. Another Protestant church unlawfully sealed off by
the authorities—despite meeting all requirements for a permit—was met with violent
opposition from Muslims when its members tried to hold a service on the
street in front of their sealed-off church building. Muslim residents made
death threats, played loud music, and rode a motorcycle through the
congregation. A church spokesman said: "We are constantly having to
change our location because our existence appears to be unwanted, and we have
to hide so that we are not intimidated by intolerant groups… We had hoped for
help from the police, but after many attacks on members of the congregation, we
see that the police are also involved in this."
Kenya: Two separate grenade attacks on
churches took place: 1) Muslims
threw grenades into an open-air Christian church gathering, killing a woman
and a boy, and wounding some 50 other Christians: Muslims had been holding a
meeting near the gathering, and Christians could hear their preachers railing
against Christianity right before the attack took place. 2) In a separate
incident, a Muslim man pretending to be a worshipper at a church threw
three grenades during service, killing a 27-year-old university student and
injuring16. The terrorist, who, according to eyewitnesses, appeared to be of
Somali origin, "looked uncomfortable and always looked down. He threw
three hand grenades and only one exploded. He took off, and he fired in the air
three gunshots."
Nigeria: An early morning attack on a
Christian church service left at
least 16 people dead: Jihadi gunmen on motorcycles stormed Bayero
University in the city of Kano Sunday morning during a Catholic mass held in
the school's theater hall, hurling improvised explosive devices, and opening
fire as people fled. "The attack follows a string of violent incidents
against Christians in the predominantly Muslim north."
Sudan: A Christian compound in Khartoum
was stormed by a throng of Muslims "armed with clubs, iron rods, a
bulldozer and fire," the day after a Muslim
leader called on Muslims to destroy "the infidels' church."
Shouting "Allahu Akbar!" ["Allah is Greater!"], and
"No more Christianity from today on—no more church from today on!"
the jihadis stormed the Bible school bookstore, burning Bibles and threatening
to kill anyone who tried to resist. "What happened could not be
imagined—it was terrible," said an eyewitness. "They burned all
furniture of the school and the church as well." As usual, "Police at
the compound stood back and did nothing to prevent the mob from vandalizing the
compound."
Tunisia: Members of the Christian
Orthodox Church in Tunis, one of very few churches in the nation, are being
"abused" and receiving "threatening messages." Church
members are "living in a state of terror," so much so that the
Russian ambassador in Tunis specifically requested the nation's Ministry of
Interior to "protect the church." The abuse has gotten to the point
where "Salafis covered
the cross of the church with garbage bags, and told the church members that
they do not wish to see the vision of the Cross anywhere in the Islamic state
of Tunisia." Separately, a Muslim burst into a church to deliver a letter
from an Islamist party inviting the archpriest to convert to Islam or to take
down the church's crosses and pay jizya, the Islamic subjugation tax.
Apostasy and Blasphemy: Death and
Prison
Algeria: A Christian was sentenced to five years in prison
for "shaking the faith" of Muslims. He had discussed his faith
with a Muslim man at a food court when the Muslim became angry and accused the
Christian of "insulting Muhammad." Police arrested the man and found
a large amount of Christian material in his apartment. The judge gave him the
maximum sentence of five years in prison, even though the prosecutor himself
had recommended a lesser sentence.
Bangladesh: A former Muslim prayer
leader who converted to Christianity was "welcomed by threats and
violence." Members of his Muslim community "beat
him almost to death," causing him to be hospitalized for almost two
months: "the same Muslims who followed him and held him in high esteem
when he was their imam now cannot accept his new status."
Egypt: Two incidents of
"blasphemy" convictions took place: 1) A juvenile court
sentenced a Coptic Christian teenager to three years in prison for allegedly
"insulting Islam," on claims that he posted unflattering cartoons
of Muhammad on Facebook. When the incident came to light, Muslims rioted, fire-bombing
his home and at least five other Christian-owned homes. 2) Another judge upheld
a six-year prison sentence for a Christian convicted of "blasphemy":
after a Muslim had told the 49-year old Christian convict that Jesus had
illegal sex with at least ten women, the Christian countered "by stating
that Muhammad, the founder of the Islamic religion, had more than four wives—a
view commonly held by Islamic scholars." Police subsequently arrested him
and, in a 10-minute mock trial with no defense attorney present, the judge
sentenced him to six years in prison for "insulting the prophet."
Iran: A Christian
convert from Islam has been sentenced to six years in prison. Originally
arrested in December 2010 as part of a major crackdown on the country's house
church movement, "the married father of two has been held in the notorious
Evin prison ever since, spending several months in solitary confinement,"
and likely goaded to return to Islam. He is accused of "action against the
regime's security, being in contact with foreign organizations and religious
propaganda." In short, according to Iranian Christians, "his 'crime'
was practicing his Christian faith."
Pakistan: Two incidents of
"blasphemy" charges occurred: 1) A Christian man was arrested and
charged with "blasphemy" for rescuing his 8-year-old nephew from a
beating at the hands of Muslim
boys who sought to force the boy to convert to Islam. "Seeing the
attack from a distance, Masih [the man] shouted and rushed to the scene,
rescued his nephew and then went to his work as a painter. Soon after the
incident, a Muslim mob of about 55 led by the village prayer leader besieged
Masih's house," and insisted that "the blasphemer" be turned
over to them. After being threatened and harassed by Muslim inmates and jail
officials, he was eventually released from prison. 2) The mother of a newborn
baby has been illegally
jailed for over a month: authorities have failed to file a charge sheet
within the mandatory 14-day period against the 26-year-old Christian woman
accused of "blaspheming" the prophet of Islam. The woman was arrested
after neighbors accused her of "uttering remarks against Muhammad."
Philippines: Two pastors were
slaughtered by Muslim assailants: 1) A former Muslim who became a Christian
pastor was murdered
in front of his wife in his home: "My husband staggered into our
bedroom and I was shocked because he was full of blood," she recalled.
"I brought him to the hospital right away. He was operated on for eight
bullet wounds, but did not survive." The Philippines is a mostly Christian
nation, but in the south, "Muslim fundamentalists are trying to build an
Islamic state. Christians there face persecution and even death…. This year, at
least four house churches closed down after their pastors and lay leaders were
killed by Muslim extremists." 2) Another pastor was shot in the head
five times, killed by two unknown gunmen in front of his teenage daughter.
Dhimmitude
[General Abuse, Debasement, and
Suppression of non-Muslims as "Tolerated" Citizens]
Egypt: A recent "reconciliation
meeting" between members of a
sword-wielding Muslim mob that earlier brutalized a Christian school proved
to be "nothing less than an attempt at legalized extortion." In
exchange for peace, members of the mob that stormed the school last month
without provocation—holding two nuns hostage for several hours—demanded in the
meetings that the school sign over land that included the guesthouse they
attacked. "Human rights groups and Coptic rights activists say the
meetings are just a way to pressure powerless groups and people into giving
away what little rights they have." Likewise, the judges appointed to
investigate the Maspero
massacre, which claimed the lives of 27 Christians and injured 329, closed the case, due to
"lack of identification of the culprits." As one Christian lawyer
put it: "We said all along that it [the investigation] was just a show and
this is the outcome we got."
India: Muslims stormed and terrorized a home in
which a Christian prayer meeting was being held, and beat the Christians,
including a 65-year-old widow. The Muslims
"called them pagans as they kicked, slapped and pushed the Christians….
The Christians were running in all directions for their lives, including the
children who were crying in fear" as one Muslim, "brandishing a
sickle, chased many of them, hurling all kinds of insults and attempting to
mi=ureder them all…. 500 Muslims had gathered and were watching in amusement as
the extremists chased and harassed the Christians for about 90 minutes."
Iran: Historical Christian monuments,
including churches and Christian cemeteries, continue to be destroyed or
allowed to fall into a state of decay as the Islamist
authorities try to wipe out the country's Christian heritage: "It
seems that Islamic Republic officials, unsuccessful in stopping the growth of
Christianity among the people by pressuring them, arresting them and banning
Christian converts from attending church services, want to destroy historical
Christian monuments to totally wipe the Christian heritage from the face of
Iran."
Pakistan: Yet another study demonstrates
that Pakistani
school textbooks "promote religious fanaticism, discriminate against
minorities and trigger religious conflicts." Christians and Hindus
"are obliged to learn the basics of Islam"—studying the Koran is
mandatory—while their own religions are openly denigrated. Even in subjects
such as social science and linguistics, "about 20% of the content is
linked to Islam"; and non-Muslim students receive "bonus points"
if they excel in Islamic studies.
Syria: Almost the entire Christian
population—nearly 60,000—of the city of Homs, the nation's third largest, have
fled as fighting between the government and anti-government, largely
Islamist forces continues. Reportedly only 1,000 Christians remain.
Opposition forces are attacking churches and other Christian centers;
"Muslim neighbors are turning on the Christians. Christians have also
suffered kidnapping
and gruesome murders. Some Christian families, unable to pay a ransom for
their relatives' release and fearing that they may be tortured, have been
driven to ask the kidnappers to kill their loved ones at once."
Tunisia: After the Russian ambassador
stood up for an Orthodox church under attack (see above, under "church
attacks"), the Russian school located behind the church as well as the
Christian cemetery in Tunis were vandalized. The walls of the school and
religious frescoes were smeared
with fecal matter, while the cemetery's crosses were destroyed. Meanwhile,
the new "Arab-spring" government has shown its "manifest
indifference with regard to minorities' right to protection."
Turkey: The nation's Greek Orthodox
citizens living on the island of Gökçeada (Imbros) in the north Aegean cannot
buy property on the island, though it is an easy matter for Muslims:
"The Land Registry office has admitted to preventing non-Muslims from
buying property, citing a National Security Council (MGK) decision, but refused
to give further details."
About this Series
Because the persecution of Christians in the
Islamic world is on its way to reaching epidemic proportions, "Muslim
Persecution of Christians" was developed to collate some—by no means
all—of the instances of persecution that surface each month. It serves two
purposes:
- To document that which the mainstream media does not: the habitual, if not chronic, Muslim persecution of Christians.
- To show that such persecution is not "random," but systematic and interrelated—that it is rooted in a worldview inspired by Sharia.
Accordingly, whatever the anecdote of
persecution, it typically fits under a specific theme, including hatred for
churches and other Christian symbols; sexual abuse of Christian women; forced
conversions to Islam; apostasy and blasphemy laws that criminalize and punish
with death to those who "offend" Islam; theft and plunder in lieu of jizya
(financial tribute expected from non-Muslims); overall expectations for
Christians to behave like cowed dhimmis, or second-class,
"tolerated" citizens; and simple violence and murder. Sometimes it is
a combination.
Because these accounts of persecution span
different ethnicities, languages, and locales—from Morocco in the West, to
India in the East, and throughout the West wherever there are Muslims—it should
be clear that one thing alone binds them: Islam—whether the strict application
of Islamic Sharia law, or the supremacist culture born of it.
Raymond
Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center
and an Associate Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
Previous Reports:
Related Topics: Raymond Ibrahim
How
Much Is Mahmoud Abbas Worth?
Try $100 Million
by Khaled Abu
Toameh
May 18, 2012 at 4:30 am
May 18, 2012 at 4:30 am
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Palestinian
leaders in Ramallah, including President Mahmoud Abbas, are deeply concerned
that Rashid's revelations could expose their role in the embezzlement of public
funds. They are also concerned that Rashid's revelations could prompt some
Americans and Europeans to reconsider their decision to pour millions of
dollars into the Palestinian Authority's coffers. What is needed is an
independent Commission of Inquiry to restore pubic funds belonging to the
Palestinian people. The Palestinians have many Mohammed Rashids...
The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has
just discovered what every Palestinian child knows -- that hundreds of millions
of dollars had been embezzled during the era of Yasser Arafat.
The "discovery", however, was not the
result of a thorough and long investigation ordered by Palestinian leaders in
Ramallah with the hope of restoring public funds.
Instead, it came after one of Arafat's most
trusted aides, Mohammed Rashid, threatened to expose corruption scandals in the
Palestinian Authority.
For many years, Rashid served as Arafat's
financial advisor and was given a free hand to handle hundreds of millions of
dollars that were poured on the Palestinian Authority and the PLO by US, EU and
Arab donors.
A former journalist who used to earn less than
$1,000 a month by working for a PLO newspaper, Rashid is now considered one of
the wealthiest Palestinians anywhere. Palestinian Authority officials have
estimated his fortune at more than half a billion dollars.
Rashid left the Palestinian territories almost
immediately after his boss, Arafat, died in late 2004. Since then, the
Palestinian Authority has almost nothing to bring him to trial or return at
least some of the missing funds.
This week, however, the Palestinian Authority
finally woke up and remembered that Rashid was suspected of embezzling hundreds
of millions of dollars.
The Palestinian Authority's Anti-Corruption
Commission in Ramallah announced that it has issued an arrest warrant against
the former Arafat advisor and asked Interpol for help in bringing him to trial.
The announcement came a day after Rashid
appeared on a Saudi-owned TV station and threatened to expose corruption
scandals in the Palestinian Authority leadership.
Palestinian leaders in Ramallah, including
President Mahmoud Abbas, are deeply concerned that Rashid's revelations could
seriously embarrass them and expose their role in the embezzlement of public
funds.
They are also worried that Rashid's revelations
could prompt some Americans and Europeans to reconsider their decision to pour
millions of dollars into the Palestinian Authority's coffers.
Rashid, after all, was not a junior official in
the Palestinian Authority. He was an insider, someone who was very close to
Arafat and probably the only official who knows where hundreds of millions of
dollars ended up.
The Palestinian Authority's decision to issue
an arrest warrant against him does not seem to worry Rashid, who this week
demanded a probe into Abbas's personal fortune, which he estimated at more than
$100 million.
So Abbas is saying that Rashid stole hundreds
of millions of dollars, while Rashid is accusing the president of embezzling
"only" $100 million. This is happening at a time when international
donors are continuing to channel more funds every month to the Palestinian
Authority, often without holding its leaders accountable or demanding to know
how the money is being spent.
What is needed is an independent commission of
inquiry to restore the public funds belonging to the Palestinian people. The
Palestinians have many Mohammed Rashids who turned into wealthy businessmen
during the peace process with Israel -- thanks to the naivety of Americans and
Europeans.
Related Topics: Khaled Abu
Toameh
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