Two Iraqi Christians were kidnapped then later killed by Islamic fundamentalists in Mosul within the span of a few days, a news agency with connections to Iraq reported.
Tariq Qattan, a 65-year-old doctor, was recently kidnapped by a terrorist group. Then on Wednesday, news emerged that he had been killed, according to Assyrian International News Agency.
His family had reportedly paid $20,000 in ransom money, but it was not enough to free the Christian man.
On the same day, news also was released about the kidnapping and murder of another Christian, Nafi Haddad. Nafi was kidnapped on Monday and it is unclear whether the captors demanded ransom money.
Kidnapping Christians for ransom money has unfortunately become a common occurrence in Iraq. Many Muslims kidnappers are motivated by the false notion that Christians have relatives living in western countries that can send money for their release.
The pastor of St. George’s Anglican Church in Baghdad, one of the largest churches in Iraq, said that 36 of his members were kidnapped in a month during his testimony before the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in July 2007.
Earlier this year, Christians were shocked and pained to learn that Iraq’s second most senior Catholic cleric was kidnapped and murdered. His body was found in March, two weeks after his disappearance.
The combined effect of church bombings, kidnappings, death threats, economic inequality and insecurity have forced about half of Iraq’s Christian population to flee the country since the U.S.-led offensive in 2003.
There were about 1.2 million Christians in Iraq before the war, but now there are only about 600,000 remaining.
The minority Christian population, which makes up only about three percent of Iraq’s 26 million people, compose nearly half of all the refugees leaving Iraq, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
In fear of the extinction of this population in Iraq, the country’s Christians are urging the United States to support a plan to create an autonomous region in northern Iraq called the Ninevah Plains where Christians and other persecuted minorities can practice their faith, speak their language and work without fear of persecution.
The Nineveh Plains is the ancestral homeland of Assyrian Christians – the largest Christian group in Iraq – and is the area where thousands of Christians from the cities have resettled to escape persecution.
In 2007, the Iraqi Christian community suffered 47 deaths, 13 of them in Mosul. These include Father Ragheed Gani, murdered on June 3, and two other priests, according to AINI.
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Did Obama support the murder of Christians in Kenya? Aparently he raised $1 million dollars to his uncle who did.
Seriously scit, you need a family vacation.
Maybe the smog near Andersonville in the windy city must have taken its toll.
Hey, Bali is a good choice -its about 1 hour flight from where I am right now.
Shalom
It seems clear that the Muslims are trying to scare the Christians away.
The Christians will either continue to flee as the door may be closing for them, or the Christians will continue to suffer persecution which has only proven to strengthen the church.
May the Holy Spirit be with them in flight and in persecution.
big deal two christians killed, what about the thousands of muslims killed by the invading army of christians from america in iraq and afghanistan.
islamic fundamentalists are the true muslim. If you read about the conquests of muhammad and those who followed him later.
"Kidnapping Christians for ransom money has unfortunately become a common occurrence in Iraq."
Most people agree that the 'Islamic fundamentalists' are just plain nuts. In many cases they don't even play by their own rules. This isn't about Islam...it's about money. They are nothing but mofia style thugs.
Pat, I live in Indonesia and am not commenting on the US led war in Iraq.
But this violence against Iraqi Christians, may it be Chaldeans or Assyrians, has got to stop.
Many of the so called Al Qaeda are of foreign fighters jihadist and have no connection with local people there in Mosul and must have drawn their own conclusion about those Iraqi Christians helping the GIs and having rich family ties abroad.
Is'nt there brotherhood and tolerance amongst our Muslim bretheren, how can one butcher another under the guise of religion, what religion are the Iraqi Muslims professing, are they still living in the stone age to be killings God's men, O Lord when will your mercy and grace be upon these killers to enlighten them and stop this destruction of God's people... We pray for all those persecuted and who hv left this earth with innocent blood on the hands of barbarians. Please Lord save the others from maniacs and give them shelter and hope to live.
This is tragic news.
Our prayers for the martyred Iraqi Christians dr. Tariq Qattan and Mr. Nafi Haddad along with their families and churches. May they rest in peace with our Lord Jesus Christ.