2-August-2004 -- Catholic World News Brief
Baghdad, Aug. 02 (CWNews.com) - Five Christian
churches in Iraq, including Chaldean Catholic churches, were attacked with bombs
on Sunday evening, killing 11 and wounding more than 50. It was the first major
attack against Iraq's sizeable Christian minority by terrorist insurgents since
the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. Christians in Iraq and outside, including
the Vatican, have long worried that extremist Muslims desiring an Islamic state
would eventually target Christians. Although Christians are a small minority
within Iraq-- about 3 percent of the 24.2 million population-- they have been
able to worship freely for generations. But in recent weeks there have been
incidents of arson and vandalism at shops owned by Christians, particularly
those that sold alcohol.
On Sunday, four car bombs hit churches in Baghdad and another damaged a
church in the northern city of Mosul. Several Chaldean and Syrian Catholic
churches were among the targets, including the Chaldean cathedral in Baghdad. At
least 50 people were killed by the bombs, which in some cases exploded as
worshipers were leaving Sunday liturgical services.
Bishop Rabban al Qas of Amadiya insisted that the bombings were done by
terrorist groups from outside Iraq. He told the AsiaNews service: "It is
not the work of Iraqis. Iraqis have never done such things.” He added:
"By striking at Eastern Christians they want to strike at the West. For
them Christianity and the Western world are but one and the same.”
'What are the Muslims doing? Does this mean that they want us out'' Brother
Louis, a deacon at Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad, said to the Associated
Press outside the damaged Assyrian Catholic church. ''Those people who commit
these awful criminal acts have nothing to do with God. They will go to hell.''
A similar condemnation came from the top Islamic cleric in Iraq, Grand
Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani. He said the attacks "targeted Iraq's
unity, stability, and independence" and called them "hideous
crimes."
In a statement to the Patriarch Emmanuel III of the Chaldean Catholics in
Iraq, Pope John Paul II "firmly deplored the unjust aggressions against
those whose only aim is to collaborate for peace and reconciliation in the
country," according to a Vatican statement. He also said he felt close to
Iraqi Catholics in their hour of suffering, made even more grave because the
attacks took place while the faithful gathered for Sunday evening services. In
addition to the Catholic churches, others that were attacked included Armenian
and Syrian Catholic churches. A bomb outside a sixth church was successfully
found and disarmed by Iraqi police, according to the US military.
'We were in Mass and suddenly we heard a big boom, and I couldn't feel my
body anymore. I didn't feel anything,'' said Marwan Saqiq, who was covered in
blood after the attack on Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad's heavily Christian
Karada neighborhood. ''I saw people taking me out with the wood and glass
shattered everywhere.''
Iraq's government blamed the attacks on al Quaeda terrorist leader Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi.