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Bomb scare intimidates another church in Turkey

February 7, 2018 Turkey Andrew Brunson, Armenians, Balikesir, Bursa, Churches, Diyarbakir, Edirne, Erzurum, Gaziantep, Greek Orthodox, Halki Seminary, Human rights, Istanbul, Izmir, Malatya, Mersin, Middle East, Protestants, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Surp Giragos, Trabzon, Turkey

Trabzon church in a 2007 photo (World Watch Monitor)

Turkish police were called to Trabzon’s Santa Maria Catholic Church on Sunday morning (4 February) to examine a smouldering device spotted in the garden by alarmed church staff. After discovering a partially burned homemade pipe bomb, which had failed to explode, local authorities promptly checked the church’s security camera footage. . . . Read More

Father Tom releases book about 18 months’ captivity in Yemen

February 7, 2018 Yemen Aden, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Ansar al-Sharia, Catholics, Hodeidah, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Kidnapping, Sana'a, Taiz, Tom Uzhunnalil, Yemen

The Indian priest who spent 18 months in captivity in Yemen has released an autobiography. Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, who was freed in September 2017, has titled the book ‘By the Grace of God’. The priest, who is 58, presented his book during a meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of . . . Read More

Nigeria: 75 killed in renewed Fulani attacks on Christian community in Plateau

February 5, 2018 Nigeria Fulani herdsmen, Jos, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria, Plateau

No fewer than 75 corpses have been recovered following a string of attacks by Fulani herdsmen on the predominantly Christian community of Miango, in the Bassa local government area of Plateau state, central Nigeria. Jerry Datim, a religious leader from the area, told World Watch Monitor that the first attack . . . Read More

Nigerian Air Force complicit in massacre of Christian villagers, says Amnesty

February 2, 2018 Nigeria Adamawa, Boko Haram, Christian Association of Nigeria, Fulani herdsmen, Gombe, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria

Fighter jets sent by the Nigerian Air Force fired rockets at villages where Fulani herdsmen were attacking Christian residents, according to a report released this week by Amnesty International. The Nigerian Air Force confirmed that jets were despatched, but said they were instructed to fire only “warning shots” to deter . . . Read More

China: 100 Christians sent to ‘re-education’ camps in Xinjiang

February 2, 2018 China China, Communism, Converts, Hui, Terrorism, Uyghurs, Xinjiang

More than 100 Christians have been sent to “re-education” camps in China’s north-western Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the past few months, World Watch Monitor has learned. In these camps, also known as “study centres” or “mind-transformation centres”, they are taught how to be loyal to the communist ideology. Most . . . Read More

China’s new religion regulations expected to increase pressure on Christians

February 1, 2018 China Chengdu, China, Guiyang, Guizhou, Religious freedom, Sichuan

All religious establishments in China will be bound by the new Regulations for Religious Affairs that came into force today (1 February). The regulations, which define the administrative framework around religious activities, have the stated aim of “protect[ing] citizens’ freedom of religious belief”. Detailed criteria are given for religious organisations . . . Read More

Malaysia church attacks highlight growth of Islamic extremism

January 31, 2018 Malaysia Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Kota Bharu, Kuching, Malaysia, Myanmar, Petaling Jaya, Philippines, Sabah, Thailand

Located within easy reach of three active centres of Islamic extremism – Mindanao in the Philippines, Arakan in Myanmar and the southern provinces of Thailand – Malaysia has become a breeding ground for IS recruitment, weapon smuggling and communication, according to the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research. . . . Read More

Egypt: Church owner fined, attackers given suspended sentences

January 31, 2018 Egypt Churches, Copts, Egypt, Giza

Coptic churches in Egypt face different challenges, from discrimination to violence. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

An Egyptian court today (31 January) found 15 people guilty of attacking a Coptic church south of Cairo, and also fined a Coptic man for illegally hosting the church on his premises. The misdemeanour court in Giza governorate handed down one-year suspended jail sentences to the 15 attackers, with a . . . Read More

Kidnapped Colombian nun appears in another hostage video

January 30, 2018 Mali Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Gloria Argoti, Kidnapping, Mali

A new video of the Colombian nun kidnapped in the south of Mali almost a year ago has been released on the Internet. Sister Gloria Cecilia Narvaez Argoti, of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate, was kidnapped on 7 February 2017 in Karangasso. “We have seen the video and we . . . Read More

Chinese bishop reshuffle reinforces fears of state meddling

January 30, 2018 China Catholics, China, Churches, Crosses, Guangdong, Pope Francis, Religion Law, Shantou, Sinicisation, Xi Jinping

Fears are growing that China’s communist government may be gaining more control over the Catholic Church there, as news emerged that the Vatican asked two bishops it had appointed to step aside in favour of ones selected by Beijing. These developments have taken place following a state campaign against China’s . . . Read More

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