Christian evangelist threatened with death penalty in Saudi Arabia
Country: SAUDI ARABIA, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
An Eritrean Christian has been threatened with the death penalty in Saudi Arabia after being arrested for sharing his faith with Muslims.
Mussie Eyob says he is ready to die for his faith in Christ
Mussie Eyob was detained by the authorities at a mosque in Saudi's second largest city, Jeddah, on 12 February. He had gone there to meet and talk with local Muslims after speaking about Christianity at the Eritrean Embassy for three days.
Gaza radical group says it kidnapped European peace activist
A file photo taken on March 14, 2010 shows Italian peace activist Vittorio Utmpio Arrigoni takes part in an activity calling for lifting the Israeli siege on Gaza, at Gaza seaport. An unknown radical Muslim group on Thursday said it kidnapped Arrigoni, 36, in the Gaza Strip and demanded Hamas authorities to free members of the Salafi group. (Xinhua/Ashraf Mohammed)
GAZA, April 14 (Xinhua) -- An unknown radical Muslim group on Thursday said it kidnapped an European activist in the Gaza Strip and demanded Hamas authorities to free members of the Salafi group.
The rise of Islamic parties urges Christians to flee from Egypt
Cairo, Egypt - The rise of Islamic parties in the Egyptian Revolution, and the continued enforcement of the Sharia in the villages outside Cairo are frightening Christians, who are attempting to emigrate to countries with greater religious freedom. According to the Egyptian Federation for Human Rights, more than 70 people a week are asking for information on how to leave the country. The instability of the countries of North Africa and Middle East concerns the Holy See. Today , the third meeting of the Special Council for the Middle East, the secretary general of the synod of bishops stressed that "the precarious situation due to socio-political movements concern the churches who share the joys and concerns of citizens, forced in many cases to migrate because of violence, lack of employment, restriction of religious freedom, the reduced space of democracy”.
Pakistani-American sentenced for machinations bombings
WASHINGTON: A Pakistani-American was sentenced Monday to 23 years in prison for machinations attacks on subway stations around the US capital with populace he hypothetical were al Qaeda affiliates.
The Australian Coptic Movement (ACM) has received disturbing news of another disappearance of a Coptic woman in Egypt. The extended family of the victim named Heba Adel, reside in Sydney and they received a request for assistance from Heba’s husband in Egypt.
Three Churches Attacked, Egyptian Military Sides With
Radical Muslims
By Mary
Abdelmassih
(AINA) -- In the last two weeks three attacks on churches were undertaken by
Salafis or Islamic Fundamentalists in Egypt. The Salafis demanded churches move
to locations outside communities and be forbidden from making repairs, "even if
they are so dilapidated that the roofs will collapse over the heads of the
congregation," says Father Estephanos Shehata of Samalut Coptic Diocese.
The latest of these incidents took place in the village of Kamadeer, in
Samalout, Minya province on April 5, which escalated to the point where it was
feared the church would be torched and demolished, as was done in the case of
St. George and St. Mina Church in village of Soul, Atfif, on March 5 (AINA 3-5-2011). For three days
Muslims occupied the entrance to St. John the Beloved Church in the village of
Kamadeer with their mats, praying and sleeping there while thousands of village
Copts staged a sit-in for three continuous days in front of the Minya
governorate building, vowing not to leave until they got their church back.
"Even if it takes one year, we will still be here," said Fr. Youssab in the
rally. The Coptic demonstrators demanded the reopening of their church and
prosecution of the squatters (video of Coptic sit-in).
The horrifying incident in which Salafis or Islamic fundamentalists, have implemented for the first time in Egypt the Islamic penalty or Hudoud on a Christian Copt by cutting-off his ear for allegedly renting his flat to a Muslim prostitute, has sent shock waves throughout Egypt. The Salafis in the southern town of Qena, 490 KM from Cairo, took all the authorities of the State in their own hands; they arrested the victim, judged him and applied what they saw as the appropriate punishment on him. After that they called the police to take away the victim saying "We have applied the law of Allah, now come and apply your law."
Muslim Gang Leader Terrorizing Christians in Egyptian Village
By Mary Abdelmassih
Cairo (AINA) -- Ten human rights organization staged a rally on March 30 in front of the building of the Attorney General to bring to public attention the tragedy of some nine thousand Coptic villagers living in terror since end January in the Upper Egyptian villages of Badraman and Nazlet Badraman in Deir Mawas, Minya. Rights activists and Badraman villagers were joined by attorney activist Peter elNaggar, who filed a complaint with the Attorney General against 34-year-old Muslim police informer Ali Hussein, nicknamed "Holaku" after the ruthless Mongol leader.
Official: 8 dead after protest over U.S. Quran burning
By the CNN Wire Staff
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Eight people were killed and 61 were injured when a protest over a Quran burning at a U.S. church turned violent in Afghanistan's Kandahar province Saturday, the provincial government said.
"Today the enemies of peace in Afghanistan killed and injured our people in Kandahar," said a statement from the office of the Kandahar governor.
Some witnesses said protesters were shot by police. But police said they neither shot at nor killed anyone.
Muslims in Egypt Demand Release of Alleged Convert to Islam
By Mary Abdelmassih
(AINA) -- Hundreds of Muslims staged a protest in front of the State Council this morning, during the hearing of the case filed by a number of Muslim clerics with the administrative judiciary court, contesting the validity of the detention of Camelia Shehata and Wafaa Constantine in the churches of Pope Shenouda III.
This took place in Australia … and was caught on tape.
This is one of the big news items on tonight’s news over here. The woman in the burqa [tudung and veil] was pulled over by the police because she was a “P” plate, (provisional) driver and the plates weren’t displayed correctly.
He asked her for her license and asked her to remove her burqa so that he knew it was her license.
She then accuses him of being racist and that the only reason he pulled her over was because she was wearing a burqa. She then tells him he will be sorry and that she would take him to court.
Muslims Attack Christian in Egypt, Cut Off His Ear
(AINA) -- A group of Muslims attacked Ayman Anwar Mitri, a 45 year old Christian Coptic man in the Upper Egyptian town of Qena, cutting off his ear. The Muslims claimed they were applying Sharia law because Mr. Mitri allegedly had an illicit affair with a Muslim woman. The Muslims called the police and told them "We have applied the law of Allah, now come and apply your law," according to Mr. Mitri in an interview for the Egyptian Human Rights Organization.
Egyptian Constitutional Referendum Passes Amid Reports of Voting Irregularities
(AINA) -- Over 18 million Egyptians cast their ballots on March 19 in a referendum on a controversial package of constitutional amendments to nine articles from the previous Constitution. According to the Election Commission, 77 percent of the voters (14 million) voted in favor of the referendum, 22.8 voted against. There were reports of election rigging by the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), the Salafists and former members of the Mubarak's National Democratic Party (NDP).
Maher El-Gohary and his daughter finally found a doorway out of their life of hiding in Egypt, where they lived in this humble apartment – but they still feel trapped.
(Photo: Compass)
After painful effort to change ID card, Christians flee – to similar fate.
CAIRO, Egypt, March 21 (CDN) — When the plane carrying Maher El-Gohary and his daughter, Dina Mo’otahssem, took off from Cairo International Airport last month, they both wept with joy. After spending two-and-a-half years in hiding for leaving Islam to become Christians, they were elated by their newfound freedom.
Video Shows Egyptian Army Personnel Attacking Christian Demonstrators
(AINA) -- Coptic protesters who were in front of the TV building in Maspero, waiting for the curfew to end to go home, came under attack from the Egyptian Army, after Coptic representatives agreed yesterday to suspend their 9-day sit-in until March 25. The army also attempted to assault Father Filopareer Gamil, one of the leaders of the sit- in, but Coptic protesters shielded him with their bodies.
Father Filopateer said that a Coptic demonstration is gathering in front of the hospital where the wounded have been transferred. "An army official came to the hospital to pacify the Coptic youth but they refused to meet with him and are demanding an investigation by the military."
CAIRO – Clashes between Muslims and Christians in Egypt left 13 dead and 140 wounded, deepening a sense of chaos as the police and ruling military struggled to maintain order barely a month after a popular uprising ousted longtime leader Hosni Mubarak.
In a sign of how much security has broken down, the pitched battles — the deadliest in years — went on for nearly four hours Tuesday night as both sides fought with guns, knives and clubs. Army troops fired in the air to disperse the crowds to no avail.
9 Christians Killed, 150 Injured in Attack By 15,000 Muslims and Egyptian Army "now 11 killed"
By Mary Abdelmassih
(AINA) According to Father Abram Fahmy, pastor of St. Simon the Tanner Monastery in Mokatam Hills, on the outskirts of Cairo, Copts were killed and injured today in a fresh attack by Muslims. It was reported the Egyptian army fired live ammunition on Copts. The attack has claimed until now the lives of 9 Copts and injured 150, 45 seriously.
(AINA) -- Thousands of Christians, joined by many Muslims, have been staging sit-in since March 5 in front of the Egyptian TV building on the Nile Corniche in Cairo, protesting the attack on the church in the village of Soul and the inaction of the Egyptian armed forces in preventing the Muslims from torching and demolishing the church and terrorizing the Christian Copts and forcing them to evacuate the village.
Nearly 4000 Muslims Attack Christian Homes in Egypt, Torch Church
By Mary Abdelmassih
(AINA) -- A mob of nearly four thousand Muslims has attacked Coptic homes this evening in the village of Soul, Atfif in Helwan Governorate, 30 kilometers from Cairo, and torched the Church of St. Mina and St. George. There are conflicting reports about the whereabouts of the Church pastor Father Yosha and three deacons who were at church; some say they died in the fire and some say they are being held captive by the Muslims inside the church.
Suspected Islamists Kill Pakistan’s Christian Cabinet Member
Shahbaz Bhatti assassinated, apparently for advocating review of ‘blasphemy’ laws.
By Asher John
Shahbaz Bhatti
LAHORE, Pakistan, March 2 (Compass Direct News) – Unidentified gunmen in Islamabad today shot dead Federal Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s only cabinet-level Christian and an outspoken critic of the country’s widely condemned “blasphemy” laws.
Suspected Islamic extremists from Pakistan’s Taliban and al Qaeda reportedly left a letter at the scene saying those who try to change Pakistan’s blasphemy laws would be killed. The murder comes two months after Punjab Gov. Salman Taseer was killed by his bodyguard for supporting Asia Noreen (also known as Asia Bibi), the first Christian woman sentenced to death in Pakistan on blasphemy charges.
