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Under Attack: 5 More Killed as Iraqi Militants Target Christians

BAGHDAD (AP) — Baghdad’s Christians came under attack again Wednesday when a coordinated series of roadside bombs blew up in predominantly Christian neighborhoods, killing five people. The blasts came less than two weeks after insurgents besieged a church and killed 68 people in an assault that drew international condemnation.

Police said at least 11 roadside bombs went off within an hour in three predominantly Christian areas of central Baghdad. Four blasts hit houses belonging to Christians and two mortar rounds struck Christian enclaves in the southern predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Dora. Two bombs planted in deserted Christian homes in western Baghdad destroyed two houses.Under Attack: 5 More Killed as Iraqi Militants Target Christians

It was the third attack targeting Christians since the church siege on Oct. 31. Late Tuesday, a series of bombs hit three empty houses belonging to Christians in western Baghdad but no one was hurt.

An al-Qaida-linked group claimed responsibility for the church attack and threatened more violence against Iraq’s Christian community.

The threat left many Christians in the country wondering whether it was time to flee their homeland.

“We were terrified by the explosions,” said Juleit Hana, a 33-year-old Christian who lives in one of the neighborhoods targeted Wednesday. She was having breakfast with her daughter when she heard the bombs go off. She vowed to leave the country.

“It’s not worth staying in a country where the government is not able to protect you even when you are sitting in your house,” she said.

The new attacks struck as Iraq‘s minority Christian community was still in shock over the massacre at Baghdad’s main Catholic cathedral, Our Lady of Salvation. It was the worst attack against the Christian minority since the 2003-U.S. led invasion that set the stage for fierce sectarian fighting between Shiite and Sunni Muslim sects, which killed tens of thousands of civilians.

Church officials said Wednesday that 56 Christians had died in the church massacre. Police officials said 12 others also died.

Under Attack: 5 More Killed as Iraqi Militants Target Christians

Iraqi Christians protest the Oct. 31 attack on Iraqi Christians in Baghdad during a rally Monday in Chicago. (AP Photo)

Security was beefed up around churches in Baghdad after the massacre, possibly pushing the militants to seek easier targets, such as Christian homes. Layers of police protect most Shiite shrines in Iraq, and as a result, militants began targeting Shiite pilgrims on their way to visit the shrines.

Sunni Islamic militants such as al-Qaida consider both Shiites and Christians to be nonbelievers. They have also questioned whether Iraq’s Christians are loyal to Christian countries in the West or to Iraq as a way to justify their attacks.

Iraq’s top Catholic prelate, Chaldean Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly has encouraged the remaining 1.5 million Christians to stay in the country and called on the authorities for more protection. Catholic officials estimate that more than 1 million Christians fled Iraq since Saddam Hussein’s regime fell.

Amal, a 50-year-old Christian resident of eastern Baghdad who only gave her first name for fear of retribution, said the attacks won’t succeed at driving Christians out.

“We are Iraqis and those attackers want us to leave,” said Amal, a mother of four. “We’ve lived in Iraq for so long. It our home.”

The Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, urged Iraqi authorities to seriously consider the Vatican’s plea that they better protect Christians.

“It’s a very painful situation,” the ANSA news agency quoted Bertone as saying Wednesday. The Holy See recently held a meeting of Mideast bishops in Rome to discuss the plight of Christians in the region.

The bishops praised those who had stayed “in times of adversity, suffering and anguish” and encouraged those who were forced to leave to one day return to their homelands.

An al-Qaida statement has also threatened Christians across the Middle East unless Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church releases women who the terror group claims are held captive for converting to Islam.

Police and hospital officials said 20 people were also wounded in Wednesday’s violence. It was not immediately clear how many of the casualties were Christian. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Younadem Kana, a Christian member of the Iraqi parliament, blamed security officials for failing to protect the Christians and said that Wednesday’s bombings exposed “grave flaws in the structure and the work of Iraq’s security forces.”

He said attacks will continue as long as Iraq remains without a government that represents all Iraqis.

The country’s political leaders are to meet in Baghdad Wednesday for the third consecutive day for talks focused on the formation of a new government. For the past eight months since March 7 elections, Iraqi politicians have failed to agree on a government that would include the Sunni-backed coalition led by Ayad Allawi, which narrowly defeated Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s Shiite-dominated bloc.

At stake is whether Iraq has an inclusive government of both the majority Shiites and the minority Sunnis or a Shiite-dominated government with the Sunnis largely in opposition — a recipe that many worry will turn the country back to the sectarian violence of a few years ago.

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Associated Press writer Sameer N. Yacoub in Amman, Jordan, contributed to this report.

Comments (22)

  • mikem1969
    Posted on November 12, 2010 at 11:53am

    But the left says they are such tolerant people. They tolerate no one, and we need to get rid of the problem in this country while we still have the chance.

    Report Post »  
  • Chicago Ray
    Posted on November 12, 2010 at 10:31am

    I wish the world would realize these Muslims are in a Holy war with us and our leaders it around with the liberal loons all fighting amongst each others how they can help them destroy western civilzation and all the Jews and Christians on earth.

    What’s it gonna take to finally fight back with the full force at our disposal. Why do we pay for all this when the world’s greatest threat is climbing in our a((es?

    Report Post » One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew  
  • silentwatcher
    Posted on November 12, 2010 at 12:50am

    RIGHTEOUS WRATH Henry Van **** (1852-1933)

    There are many kinds of hatred, as many kinds of fire;
    And some are fierce and fatal with murderous desire;
    And some are mean and craven, revengeful, sullen, slow,
    They hurt the man that holds them more than they hurt his foe.
    And yet there is a hatred that purifies the heart:
    The anger of the better against the baser part,
    Against the false and wicked, against the tyrant’s sword,
    Against the enemies of love, and all that hate the Lord.

    O cleansing indignation, O flame of righteous wrath,
    Give me a soul to feel thee and follow in thy path!
    Save me from selfish virtue, arm me for fearless fight,
    And give me strength to carry on, a soldier of the Right!

    American will not let happen in this country what is happening in others…..

    Report Post »  
  • Pizza Royalty
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 7:17pm

    As a daughter of an Iraqi Chaldean Christian who came to American in 1948 and a Lebanese Maronite Catholic mother who came to this wonderful nation in 1950, I am deeply saddened and appalled at the abuse of Christians we are now seeing in the Middle East. It was not always that way….Islamic extremism has reared its ugly head in the past 30 years. As westerners we will not win this war if we don’t understand the Islamic mentality. Peace through strength is the only way we will achieve calm. We try to “bargain” and they laugh. I pray we wake up before it’s too late and we all become like the Arab Christians.

    Report Post »  
  • wash1776
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 5:41pm

    And these violent satanists want the rest of the world to be just like them? PATHETIC!

    Report Post »  
  • Fear The Voices
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 5:14pm

    Religion of peace my butt!

    While the left-wing propaganda media in this country try and crucify Jews and Christian on their idiot box pulpit, they either ignore or water down the truth of what islam is. This is not a religion of peace, it is a religion that must excel, must dominate; must either force conversion; or terminate those it calls infidels. What other religion on earth calls for forced conversion upon non-believers? Which religion calls for the downfall of entire nations?

    Report Post » Fear The Voices  
  • Tracking
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 2:38pm

    I wonder if many of you know about the TERRORIST TRIALS. The two I am going to speak of have already occured.
    Guantanamo: One received 8 years Maximum, to be served in Canada and will be out in less than a yesr. There was a secret plea deal ( jusry did NOT know about)
    The other who was helping Osama bib Laden received only 2 years. One of the names is Kladr. A bad man to say the least. They were civilian trials I believe. Previousy Military trials had been used.
    This information is from Katherine Herrage at Fox News and other News channels.

    This is exactly what is going to happen: These terrorists have already been held for many years at Guantanamo Bay. The hope is that we will forget after so many years. They will have their time served used to their benefit. Gauntanamo isn’t exactly a tough place to be. They have comuuters, barbers, libraries, exercise rooms, TV , games, balanced meals and snacks and visitation and amenities go on and on because they haven’t been foud guilty of anything yet. Then by the time a trial actually happens, we don’t even hear about it. This is all thathappens…a smack on the wrist for trying to kill up and being best buddies with Osama. You can look this up for yourself but you should be informed and angry at the very least.
    You always hear people speak of 3,000 lives lost but let me remind you that it is more than that. You aren’t taking into account the other attacks and plane that went down and the Cole and many others.

    Report Post »  
  • usconcerned
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 10:54am

    Do not expect our Muslim-in-chief to condemn these murders.

    Report Post »  
  • Ed in Lebec
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 9:22am

    It needs repeating, not all Muslims are terrorists, but ALL Terrorists are Muslim!

    Report Post » OH, I Get It!  
  • richfromflorida
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 9:16am

    Ahhh, the religion of peace. I don’t watch MSM anymore, I wonder if any of this is getting reported to the American sheeple.

    Report Post » richfromflorida  
  • Richard_FL
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 8:31am

    Oh yes, the religion of peace and compassion. How much more of this do we need to see before we Christians wake up to the fact that this is a fight for the survival of western culture and our religious freedoms??

    I don’t care how many times they deny it…………the reality is in what is taking place on a worldwide basis and unless we ALL shed the foolishness of political correctness and diversity at all costs we will not leave our kids with much to look forward to……stop drinking the kool-aide!!

    NO MOSQUE AT GROUND ZERO…………………..PERIOD!!

    Report Post » Richard_FL  
  • FANGS
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 8:24am

    Do they want a Religious war? I as one Christian wont tolerate these assults much longer. They’d better watch out, American Christians will inflict damage on Muselum Churches by Ten fold. Americans are not cowards like obama.We will fight back.

    Report Post »  
  • HouseNegro
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 6:51am

    Once again Kill them All and this kind of stuff will stop. If we don’t it will just get closer to home…

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • silentwatcher
      Posted on November 12, 2010 at 12:33am

      sorry, but it’s already on our doorsteps. The just don’t have the courage yet to do in the United States what they are currently doing in Europe. Why do you think that is? snicker.

      Report Post »  
  • In God We Trust
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 1:26am

    The above photo brought tears to my eyes…. Iraqi Christians protesting and holding an American flag.

    Jesus, I pray for Christians everywhere who are persecuted and die for your namesake. For theirs is truly the Kingdom of God. Come quickly Lord.

    Report Post » In God We Trust  
  • LUDWIKA BRONISLAWA
    Posted on November 11, 2010 at 1:23am

    Maybe the ACLU should send some lawyers over there to stand up for their religious rights. ($@rc@$^^)

    Report Post » LUDWIKA BRONISLAWA  
    • Robert W
      Posted on November 11, 2010 at 3:53am

      Remember murderers, your wasting your energy, the last book of the Bible says we win!

      Report Post »  

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