Victor Bet-Tamarz, a sickly 60-year-old Assyrian Pentecostal church leader who was among many Christians to be arrested after Iranian security forces raided his Tehran home during a Christmas celebration, as well as another unidentified Christian, remain behind bars, as of February 2: Police was seen filming the arrests, forcing each Christian to state their identity, explain … [Read more...]
Islamic State Blows Up Church of Immaculate Virgin
According to Rudaw, an Iraqi news agency, on February 2, security sources from the Ninevah police district said that the Islamic State blew up the Church of the Immaculate Virgin—one of the largest and oldest Chaldean churches in the ancient section of Mosul. The security source said: “The organization finished wiring the church with explosives this morning and detonated it, … [Read more...]
Controversial Report: Islamic State Executes Another Christian Priest
Through a public proclamation, on February 2, the Islamic State announced that it had executed yet another Christian priest in Mosul -- Paul Jacob, the parson of a church in eastern Iraqi city who was kidnapped eight months ago. His parish was also blown up. The execution reportedly took place in Ghazlani Camp in southern Mosul where a militia camp is located. Update … [Read more...]
“We Did Not Want to Become Muslim; We Just Wanted to Leave” — Elderly Christian Under IS
Ten elderly and disabled Christians -- eight men, two women -- who "managed to escape" from the Islamic State, after refusing to convert to Islam, recently gave a glimpse of life under IS. Previously, the group had been living in Mosul for nearly three months before IS militants forced them out of a nursing home in Qaraqosh on Oct. 24, and stole the Christians' money, … [Read more...]
Al Azhar “Freely” Promotes Slaughter of Christians and Infidels
Egypt's Al Azhar University -- seen by many as Sunni Islam's most authoritative voice -- continues to incite enmity for and violence against non-Muslims "infidels." (So much for President Sisi's exhortation before Al Azhar that its sheikhs and ulema reform Islam in a way that makes the Muslim world cease to be "a source of anxiety, danger, killing and destruction for the rest … [Read more...]