Tag: Islamic extremism

Algerian in France ‘planned to attack church(es)’

April 22, 2015 Algeria, Churches, France, Islamic extremism, Paris, Syria, Terrorism

A 24-year-old Algerian, arrested in south-east Paris for possessing handguns, other weapons and bulletproof vests, told police he was planning to attack “one or more churches”. The French Interior Minister said the information technology student had previously come to the attention of the French authorities as possibly wanting to go to . . . Read More

30 Ethiopian Christians executed by IS

April 20, 2015 Libya Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Libya

Islamic State released a video on Sunday showing what is believed to be the execution of about 30 Ethiopian Christians in Libya. The 29-minute-long footage, in which the militants call Christians ‘crusaders’ who are out to kill Muslims, shows one group of men being beheaded on a beach and a . . . Read More

‘Kill the Christians’

April 15, 2015 Iraq, Islamic extremism, Maaloula, Middle East, Nineveh Plains, Syria

A BBC documentary, ‘Kill the Christians’, is available on the BBC iPlayer (for those with access) until April 14, 2015. The hour-long programme reports on how “Christianity is facing the greatest threat to its existence in the very place where it was born … the Middle East”. The documentary includes . . . Read More

No future in Pakistan as minority woman

April 10, 2015 Pakistan Blasphemy, Easter, Islamic extremism, Lahore, Minorities, Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan, Women

Pakistan’s prime minister promised to provide equal rights for people of all religions in a speech over the Easter weekend. Nawaz Sharif said: “My government is committed to safeguarding the fundamental rights, safety, honour, life and property of all minority communities”. He added that minorities were granted “equal rights and . . . Read More

Tanzania reconsiders Islamic courts

April 1, 2015 Tanzania Divorce, Islamic extremism, Kadhi courts, Tanzania

Tanzania will review its decision to try to introduce ‘Kadhi’ courts into its legal system, the prime minister announced March 31 following tense discussions in Parliament. ‘Kadhi’ courts would allow Muslims to enforce marriage, divorce, inheritance and family rights in their community, and their verdicts would be recognised by Tanzanian . . . Read More

Boko Haram headlines hide persecution of Christians in mid-Nigeria, too

March 20, 2015 Nigeria Adamawa, Benue, Boko Haram, Chibok girls, Fulani herdsmen, Islamic extremism, Jos, Kaduna, Middle Belt, Nasarawa, Nigeria, Plateau, Sharia, Taraba, Zamfara

The whole world has heard of the Chibok abduction: the 276 girls, predominantly Christians, kidnapped by Boko Haram in northern Nigeria in April 2014. There are 220 still missing. But the publicity surrounding this serves to hide a more widespread persecution of Christians in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria. Nigeria . . . Read More

Mass arrest of Thailand’s Christian asylum seekers

March 13, 2015 Asylum seekers, Bangkok, Children, Islamic extremism, Pakistan, Refugees, Southeast Asia, Thailand, UN

Thailand’s internal political pressures on its Bangkok UNHCR office has resulted in the arrest of at least 50 Pakistani Christian asylum seekers, a church leader there told World Watch Monitor. On March 7, the Chief of Pakistan’s Christian Congress wrote to the Thai Prime Minister, about arrests of those registered . . . Read More

Iranian pastor released from prison but others arrested same day remain

February 27, 2015 Iran Armenians, Assyrians, Ayatollah Khamenei, Chaldeans, Evin Prison, Farshid Fathi, Hassan Rouhani, Iran, Islamic extremism, Religious freedom, Sunni, Tehran, Victor Bet-Tamraz

After spending more than one year in prison, for ‘collusion against the [Iranian] government’ and ‘evangelism,’ Iranian pastor Rasoul Abdollahi has been released from prison. Abdollahi, a leader in Iran’s house church movement, was arrested Dec. 26 2010 and released last week, Feb. 16. His arrest was the same day . . . Read More

Indonesian Islam to model harmony

February 20, 2015 Indonesia Churches, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Joko Widodo

The Indonesian Muslim Congress, meeting under new President Joko Widodo, has re-stated that Indonesian Islam could serve as a model, at the international level, to present a “harmonious society” in which Muslims live and work peacefully side by side with believers of other religions. President Widodo said “Indonesia is a . . . Read More

Shooting of witness threatens trial of Coptic Christians’ murderers

February 19, 2015 Egypt Copts, Islamic extremism, Luxor, Upper Egypt

Taken during the funeral of Shahid Nasemis SaroufimWorld Watch Monitor It’s happening several times a week now, particularly in the towns and villages of Upper Egypt. Just a brief news report, citing an isolated killing here and there of a Coptic Christian by “unknown gunmen.” Another statistic, usually just . . . Read More

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