25-June-2004 -- Catholic World News Brief
Mosul, Jun. 25 (FIDES/CWNews.com) - "Zarqawi,
the terrorist, wants to free Iraq from foreign invaders? Well, he should be the
first to go, seeing he is not Iraqi, and he is shedding the innocent blood of
Iraqis," a Catholic priest in northern Iraq has commented to the Fides news
service.
Father Nizar Semaan, a pastor in Mosul, told Fides that he is dismayed by the
recent series of attacks in various part of Iraq in which at least 100 have been
civilians killed.
"Zarqawi-- a terrorist from Jordan-- has claimed responsibility for most
of these crimes, saying he represents the people of Iraq and wants to free Iraq
from the foreign troops," the priest observed. "But who asked him
to?"
Father Seeman continued: "He and other criminals have chosen Iraq as a
battlefield for a war which is not a war of the Iraqi people. We are tired of
violence and death. We want to rebuild our country."
The Iraqi priest added: "I will never tire of calling on all Arab
leaders to issue a firm condemnation of terrorism, but so far they have failed
to do so."
"Indeed," the priest said "Arab media report attacks in Iraq
with tones of triumph."