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Death Toll Hits 52 After Assault on Baghdad Church
THE IRAQI government admitted yesterday that 52 people were killed and 67 wounded on Sunday night when security forces stormed a Chaldean Catholic church in Baghdad where gunmen were holding 120 people hostage.
Mourners carry the coffins of slain Christians during their funeral in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010. The victims were killed Sunday when gunmen stormed a church during mass and took the entire congregation hostage. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)
At dusk the gunmen, who had exchanged fire with guards at the stock exchange across the street, entered Our Lady of Salvation church during Mass. They shot one of the priests and herded the congregation into a hall. During a mobile phone call to a television station, a gunman demanded the release of al-Qaeda prisoners and two women allegedly detained by the Coptic church in Egypt after converting to Islam. He spoke classical Arabic rather than local dialect, indicating he was not Iraqi.
A statement posted on the website of the Islamic State of Iraq, an al-Qaeda affiliate that claimed the operation, warned that Iraqi Christians would be "exterminated" if the women were not freed.
A stand-off ensued until nine o'clock when dozens of Iraqi commandos mounted an assault at ground level and by dropping from helicopters.
Although US troops were on the scene in the middle-class Karada district, it is not clear whether or not they were involved.
Iraqi defence minister Abdul Qadr al-Obeidi claimed the security forces had no choice but to act and argued that the operation had been "successfully done".
But few Iraqis are likely to agree. A Christian lawmaker, Younadem Kana, said the operation was "not professional" but "a hasty action that prompted the terrorists to kill the worshippers.
"We have no clear picture yet whether the worshippers were killed by security force bullets or by terrorists, but what we know is that most of [the faithful] were killed when the security forces started to storm the church."
The majority of Iraqis have little faith in the reconstituted security forces because neither troops or police have been able to prevent or counter such attacks. Last Friday, 26 people died in a suicide bombing in a repeatedly targeted northern Kurdish town.
Troops at checkpoints are accused either of being in league with insurgents or of accepting bribes to allow armed men and bombers to reach their targets.
Sunday's bloody operation is certain to deal a blow to the standing of prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, who says that the country's security forces, commanded by him and armed and trained by the US, are capable of safeguarding civilians after the withdrawal of US units.
Mr Maliki, who seeks a second term in office, has been unable to form a government over the past seven months. The political vacuum has led to a rise in violence.
The assault on Our Lady of Salvation church, previously attacked in August 2004, could prompt a fresh exodus of Iraqi Christians.
Since many are doctors, lawyers, businessmen and engineers, their departure would deprive the country of people needed to rebuild it.
Since the 2003 US war, two-thirds of this 2,000-year-old Christian community has either fled the country or taken refuge in the relative security of the Kurdish region.
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5 Comments so far
Show All"A statement posted on the website of the Islamic State of Iraq, an al-Qaeda affiliate that claimed the operation, warned that Iraqi Christians would be "exterminated" if the women were not freed."
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This is totally unnacceptable. We need to put "honor" aside and negotiate with those lunatics at once, and make them go home to raise their children. They're willing to die for their stupidity, and they are as reckless and violent as our government. We cannot stop them with our own violence.
There is no silver lining in violence, whether by Christian-killing lunatics who open fire in a church, or Muslim-Killing lunatics who shoot a hell-fire rocket into a Muslim wedding party.
Americans need to organize to stop the "wars", thereby putting an end to the killing and crippling on all sides.
I'd like the war to be over, and for Iraq to become safe enough for tourism. I'd like to go and see what I got for my tax dollars.
Good first steps are to help divide the resources equitably accross Iraq, exile Al Maliki and his government, and hold fair elections.
Isn't The Coptic Church Rastafarian?
"With offerings of devotion, ships from the isles will meet to pour the wealth of the nations and bring tribute to his feet. The Coptic Church believes fully the teachings of the Bible, and as such we have our daily obligations, and offer our sacrifices, made by fire unto our God with chants and Psalms and spiritual hymns, lifting up holy hands and making melody in our hearts.
Herb (marijuana) is a Godly creation from the beginning of the world. It is known as the weed of wisdom, angel's food, the tree of life and even the "Wicked Old Ganja Tree". Its purpose in creation is as a fiery sacrifice to be offered to our Redeemer during obligations. The political worldwide organizations have framed mischief on it and called it drugs. To show that it is not a dangerous drug, let me inform my readers that it is used as food for mankind, and as a medicinal cure for diverse diseases. Ganja is not for commerce; yet because of the oppression of the people, it was raised up as the only liberator of the people, and the only peacemaker among the entire generation. Ganja is the sacramental rights of every man worldwide and any law against it is only the organized conspiracy of the United Nations and the political governments who assist in maintaining this conspiracy.
The Coptic Church is not politically originated, and this was firmly expressed when we met with the political directorate of the land during the period of pre-incorporation. We support no political organization, pagan religion, or commercial institution, seeing that religion, politics, and commerce are the three unclean spirits which separate the people from their God. Because of our non-political stand, the church has received tremendous opposition from the politicians, who do not want the eyes of the people to be opened. Through its agency, the police force, the church has been severely harassed, victimized, and discriminated. Our members have passed through several acts of police brutality, our legal properties maliciously destroyed, members falsely imprisoned, divine services broken up and all these atrocities performed upon the Church, under the name of political laws and their justice."
Walter Wells -- Elder Priest of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church of Jamaica, West Indies
It is my understanding that the Rastafarian religion is an offshoot of Coptic Christianity.
Rastas believe that Haile Selasse I of Ethiopia is literally the Second Coming of Christ.
Coptics, however, still wait for their Messiah. They differ from mainstream Christianity mainly in that they do not recognize the Council of Nicea's Authority (as every Catholic and Protestant version of Christianity does) Basically it's Christianity that avoided the corruption of the Roman Empire.
"With offerings of devotion, ships from the isles will meet to pour the wealth of the nations and bring tribute to his feet. The Coptic Church believes fully the teachings of the Bible, and as such we have our daily obligations, and offer our sacrifices, made by fire unto our God with chants and Psalms and spiritual hymns, lifting up holy hands and making melody in our hearts.'
It's annoying to read this kind of thing. Don't try to fight irrationality with rationally, I keep reminding myself.
~sc
'Mourners carry the coffins of slain Christians during their funeral in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010. The victims were killed Sunday when gunmen stormed a church during mass and took the entire congregation hostage. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)'
Now I wonder who would organise such a happening, prolonging the need for American troops to stay in Iraq.. There could be a continuation of such happenings.. we might have to stay and stay and stay.
~sc