Islamic terrorists-cum-criminals kidnapped six more Coptic Christians in Libya over the weekend.
In an audio recording, the terrorists demanded a 90,000 dinar (nearly 20,000 USD) ransom payment for the release of the Christians, who were reported as languishing in prison cells without food or water. All six Copts are from the village of al-Haraja, al-Balina Center, Sohag governorate, and appear to be part of one extended family.
Their families are pleading with the Egyptian government for urgent help, and to take these threats seriously. They say they are willing to sell their own village homes to pay for the ransom—though their value would hardly come near making ransom.
The timing and nature of this kidnapping are especially ominous. As discussed more fully here, eight years ago, almost to the day, on February 15, 2015, 21 other Coptic Christians in Libya—most of whom were also part of one extended family—were kidnapped, held for ransom, at one point reported as freed (by the BBC), and then suddenly appeared in a video being savagely beheaded on the shores of Sirte, Libya.
In other words, based on precedent, the six Copts who were just abducted face the very real threat of murder. The 2015 slaughter in Sirte is only the tip of the iceberg of the jihadist rage against anything Christian in Libya since the so-called “Arab Spring” came to that North African nation.
In 2014, for example, seven other Copts were found brutally massacred near Benghazi, though this hardly made a blip in Western media. Other Copts were also found apparently randomly murdered. In 2013, 100 Copts were arrested, had their heads shaved, and were tortured, including by having their cross tattoos torn off their wrists.
Other examples from Libya include fatal church bombings, assaults on clergymen, and desecrations of Christian cemeteries and crosses—all occurring ever since, to quote Hilary Clinton, “We came, we saw, he [Muamar Gaddafi] died.” Indeed, even American Christians were slaughtered in Libya.
That Christians continue to be targeted suggests that the same mentality behind the Benghazi attacks—where a US consulate was sacked and its ambassador, Chris Steven murdered (if not worse)—continues to dominate in Libya.
But what are Coptic Christians, who are native to Egypt, doing in Libya in the first place? Unable to find employment in their own nation, many of them have traveled to neighboring Libya, despite the risks, where they work and send money back home to support their impoverished families.
Thus do Coptic Christians remain stuck between a rock and a hard place: unable to find gainful employment in Egypt, due to religious discrimination, some of them have little choice but to go abroad, where they face violence and possible death, due to religious persecution.
The Arab Spring, encouraged by Obama in a speech at Cairo University in 2009, actually turned into an ARAB NIGHTMARE.
Whatever “good”was intended, it never included anything positive for Christians in the Middle East. Their persecution has only worsened due to the indifference of politicians, world leaders and the press, who kowtow to Muslims instead.
A reminder that June 29 is the DAY OF CHRISTIAN MARTYRS.
Brutal as all this is we have to look at it and galvanize our minds to try and get the word out. I do it in the background to those who are able to handle it and possibly do something about it.
To my friends here is you know any former or current military, journalists, politicians who might have some influence, prepare a short presentation to see if you can get them interested.
Those in the faith community – keep these issues in prayer.
Thx Raymond
With all due respect Raymond: We’ve seen what happened on February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation under Vlad. Putin invaded a sovereign independent Ukraine; and because Ukrainians have a right of survival called The Right of Self-Defence [European spelling] which means they are entitled to war-back against Putin’s RF Armies’ war of brutal aggression.
NATO came to the defence on America for “Nine-Eleven”.
These 2 examples lead one to the Conclusion that Coptics who are Peaceful People possess a Sound Basis to Appeal officially to NATO for humanitarian protection “Of Their Very Lives”, that is protection from Genocide !
I once met some people from Egypt who were Christians and they were the KINDEST people – they were attending seminary in the states… I wish I had known more about their country, the Copts and the history + their own stories!!