US Worried by ‘trend’ of Christian Attacks
ICC Note
“We are certainly aware of a recent string of attacks against Christians from Iraq to Egypt to Nigeria….We are deeply concerned about what seems to be an increasing trend.”
01/04/2011 United States (Yahoo News)-The United States said Tuesday it is “deeply concerned” about the rise in attacks against Christians in parts of the Middle East and Africa.
“We are certainly aware of a recent string of attacks against Christians from Iraq to Egypt to Nigeria,” State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said. “We are deeply concerned about what seems to be an increasing trend.”
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But he added: “I’d be very wary at this point about… making any sweeping statements about whether what’s happened in Iraq has a bearing on what’s happening in other countries such as Egypt or Nigeria.
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“There are pressures on minority groups in these countries, and we would hope and expect that … in those respective governments, we’ll fully investigate these attacks and bring those responsible to justice,” he said.
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In the past few days, anti-Christian attacks left 21 people dead in Egypt, two slain in Iraq and 86 slaughtered in Nigeria.
On October 31, militants stormed a church in central Baghdad, leaving 44 worshippers, two priests and seven security force personnel dead, in an attack claimed by Al-Qaeda’s local affiliate, the Islamic State of Iraq.
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