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Blast wreaks bloodshed on two churches in Bauchi, Nigeria

June 2, 2012 Nigeria Abuja, Bauchi, Boko Haram, Churches, Islamic extremism, Nigeria, Sharia

A suicide bomber crashed the gate of a church compound in this northern Nigerian city this morning, killing himself and at least 10 others and leaving more than 30 injured, according to eyewitnesses and officials. The Islamic extremist Boko Haram group was suspected of detonating the bomb at the gate . . . Read More

Victims of explosion in Israel lament plea agreement

May 31, 2012 Israel Ariel, Israel, Jerusalem, Messianic Jews, Orthodox Jews, Palestinian Territories, USA, West Bank

A Messianic Jewish congregation leader whose son was almost killed by a bomb planted by an ultra-right wing Jew said he feels like the Israeli criminal justice system has abandoned him. On Monday (May 28), the Jerusalem District Court approved a plea agreement for the man accused of bombing pastor . . . Read More

India Briefs: Recent Incidents of Persecution

May 31, 2012 India Andhra Pradesh, Bangalore, BJP, Converts, Hindu nationalism, India, Karnataka, RSS

On April 30 in Banglawmedu, state police cancelled a Bible study after Hindu extremists from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) disrupted the meeting, roughed up those present and ordered them to cease alleged forceful conversion. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that pastor V. Neethirajan of The Church . . . Read More

Court rulings mirror fears, hopes in Egyptian vote

May 30, 2012 Egypt Copts, Egypt, Elections, Minya, Mohamed Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood, Sharia

In the lead-up to the country’s first democratic presidential election, a court ruling confirmed fears that justice will continue to elude the Christian minority in post-revolutionary Egypt, while another verdict offered some hope. On May 21 a judge sentenced 12 Coptic Christians to life in prison for their alleged part . . . Read More

Violence continues in Nigeria as Akinola criticises President

May 29, 2012 Nigeria Islamic extremism, Nigeria, Plateau

In Nigeria’s Plateau state, Christian leaders said more Christians have died at the hands of Muslim extremists than the 35 that the military reported thus far in May. A World Watch Monitor reporter was among a group of journalists that came under attack from Islamic extremists this month. In three . . . Read More

Bhatti murder case in Pakistan increasingly murky

May 25, 2012 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Minorities, Pakistan, Paul Bhatti, Punjab, Rawalpindi, Salmaan Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti, Taliban

The investigation into the murder of Pakistan’s only cabinet-level Christian, Shahbaz Bhatti, has become mired amid suspicions of a possible cover-up, sources said. Lax investigations, a series of freed suspects and lack of coordination across law enforcement organizations have stalled the case following the March 2, 2011 slaying of the . . . Read More

Islamist mob throws urine on church in Indonesia

May 23, 2012 Indonesia Bekasi, GKI Yasmin, Indonesia, Java, Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Ulama

No arrests have been made since 600 Islamists hurled bags filled with urine and ditchwater at about 100 members of a church last week and threatened to kill its pastor. Police looked on as the mob attacked the Philadelphia Batak Christian Protestant Church worshipping on the street in Bekasi, near . . . Read More

Pakistani Christian accused of ‘blasphemy’ after billiards dispute

May 22, 2012 Pakistan Blasphemy, Farooqabad, Pakistan, Punjab, Quran, Sheikhupura

Police in Pakistan have charged a young Christian man with “blasphemy” after he had an argument with Muslims over a billiards game in Punjab Province’s Sheikhupura district, his cousin said. Farooqabad Police arrested Sajid Inayat, 20, on Friday (May 18) and charged him with desecrating the Quran under the country’s . . . Read More

Pakistani Muslims rape girl, beat relatives for prosecuting

May 21, 2012 Pakistan Narowal, Pakistan, Rape, Women

A band of Muslims this month severely beat a pregnant Christian woman in Punjab’s Narowal district – causing her to lose female twins to miscarriage – in an effort to pressure her family into dropping charges of raping her 13-year-old niece, the woman’s husband said. Asher Masih of Dhamala village . . . Read More

Islamic terrorist bases raided in Nigerian cities of Jos, Kano

May 21, 2012 Nigeria Boko Haram, Jos, Kano, Maiduguri, Nigeria

The Nigerian military’s discovery here of a Muslim terrorist base full of ammunition and explosives on Saturday (May 19) refutes Islamist claims that Christians have been bombing their own churches, a local pastor said. Following an intensive three-day search by Nigeria’s Special Military Task Force that found four Improvised Explosive . . . Read More

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