MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

This story is finally making its way into a couple of media outlets, but still nowhere near the attention it deserves …

By Judson Berger – “A rash of attacks on Christian-owned businesses in northern Iraq has raised troubling questions about the future safety of the country’s shrinking Christian community, particularly as U.S. forces withdraw completely from the nation they’ve refereed since 2003.

The attacks, which have received little international attention, raged through northern cities following a sermon last Friday by a local mullah. Video purportedly from the riots posted online shows mobs burning and wrecking businesses, which included liquor stores, hotels and hair salons.

Yonadam Kanna, a Christian member of the Iraqi parliament and secretary-general of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, confirmed to FoxNews.com that dozens of shops — many Christian owned — were attacked across multiple cities.

‘The extremists prepared themselves to attack on more locations … but they were prevented by local police and security in addition to some guards from the villages,’ Kanna said in an email.

The incident underscored the perilous circumstance the country’s dwindling Christian population finds itself in, as U.S. forces withdraw and the surrounding region takes what could be an Islamist turn, if early results in the Egypt elections are any gauge.

‘The Iraqi Christians … are living in fear,’ said U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., who is pushing for the creation of a special religious freedom envoy in the region. ‘Now with the forces leaving … I think the Iraqi Christians are going to go through a very, very difficult time.’

Urging the U.S. government to do more to draw attention to security concerns, Wolf said he ‘would not be surprised’ if Iraqi Christians continue to face these kinds of threats.

The latest attacks began in the northern city of Zakho, and spread to several other cities…

Juliana Taimoorazy, founder of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, said the Christians — who over the past decade have fled to surrounding countries to escape the violence — are faced with limited options today. She said they simply can’t go to Iran, Jordan can’t handle more refugees and Syria is no longer safe.

‘They don’t know what tomorrow or the next day will bring, but really there’s nowhere else to go,’ she said.

She questioned the security for Christians in northern Iraq, claiming the Kurdish regional government there did not initially intervene to stop the recent violence.

She also said it’s ‘disturbing’ the U.S. government has not spoken up on the latest attacks.

‘We’re on the verge of extinction,’ she said.” Read more.

Islamists in Iraq to Christians: ‘If Anyone Decides to Reopen His Store, We Will Kill Him’ – “The Islamist campaign against all things contrary to Sharia Law continues, and to drive home just how dead serious they are about preventing Christians in Zakho and elsewhere from buying and selling products, notes have been left for Christians informing them that if they reopen their stores, they will be killed …” Read more.

“Salma Emmanuel and her husband, Rashid Emmanuel, were tortured by Pakistani police over a three-day period after Salma, a maid, was falsely accused of stealing from her employer, according to news reports.

‘I begged them for mercy, pleading that I am five months pregnant, but they continued their merciless onslaught,’ said Salma, referring to the policewomen who tortured her. ‘They continued to try to force me to admit to the crime, even threatening that they would kill my baby, but I refused to confess a false allegation.’

‘I had complete faith in Jesus and trusted that He would rescue me and Emmanuel from this great problem,’ she said. ‘It was our faith that kept us going.’

‘The police beat me up mercilessly,’ her husband added. ‘A policeman offered to remove the theft charges against me if I was willing to renounce Christianity and convert to Islam. I told him that no matter what happens, I will not renounce my faith, nor would I confess the false charges made against us.’

Following their detention, both Salma and Rashid lost their jobs, and Salma is at risk of losing her unborn child.” Source – CatholicCulture.org.

“Islamabad: December 5, 2011. (PCP) A Christian girl named Mariah Manisha killed by a Muslim on defying enforced conversion and Islamic marriage was put on sale under Islamic Sharia law of ‘Compensation’ by rich influential family of killer and Islamic clerics in Pakistan.

A Catholic Christian girl named Mariah aged 18, was allegedly kidnapped on gunpoint by a Muslim named Mohammad Arif Gujjar on November 27, 2011, when she was on way to get drinking water with her mother.

Mohammad Arif Gujjar accompanied with his Muslim friends dragged Mariah Bibi in front of her mother shouting loudly ‘You are a beautiful girl and must convert to Islam to be my wife’ which Mariah Bibi denied and cried for help.

Mohammad Arif Gujjar became furious on denial of Mariah Bibi to accept Islam and shot her killing instantly and forced her mother Razia Bibi to run away to save her life.

Mariah Bibi was living in a village of Samundari with her five siblings, mother Razia Bibi and Father Manisha Masih.

The killer Mohammad Arif was arrested and local Muslim elders visited Manisha Masih to condole death of Mariah Bibi to express solidarity with grieved Christian family.

The Catholic Diocese of Faisalabad immediately called Mariah Bibi ‘Martyr of Faith’ and forward it to Vatican for inclusion in list of Martyrs.

The Christian media called Maria Bibi to be ‘Martyr Maria Goretti of Pakistan’ to remember her martyrdom.” Read more.

By Jibran Khan – “Lahore (AsiaNews) – A Christian of 25 was yesterday accused of blasphemy in the district of Qazi, Shahdra, Lahore. Construction worker Khurram Masih, married for two months, was working at the residence of Abdul Majeed. After completing the installation of marble tile he collected some pieces of paper, newspapers and wooden boards to burn. Abdul Majeed once he saw the burnt leftovers started screaming that Khurram Masih had ripped and burned parts of the Koran. Other workers gathered, attacking Masih and dragging him to the police station.

Abdul Majeed made the request to file a complaint against Khurram Masih for blasphemy. Religious leaders, along with human rights activists gathered at the police station and tried to resolve the issue, but the officers and local residents did not want to let Masih go, and continued to insist that the complaint be upheld. And this morning a FIR (First Information Report) for blasphemy under the Pakistan Penal Code was registered against Khurram Masih.

Human rights activists, including Khalid Shahzad and Khalid Gill, were present at the police station, they asked for protection for the accused and have protested that the charge was false. Extremist groups have announced through loud speakers that a Christian had desecrated the Koran and had to be punished. The human rights activists are concerned about the safety of Khurram Masih, who is not safe in the Shahdra police station. Father Francis Xavier, of the diocese of Lahore, told AsiaNews: ‘It is a very sad incident, the young man was falsely accused of blasphemy. The person who made the complaint is linked to religious groups, and is known for his hatred toward non-Muslims. There have been ads in the area inciting hatred towards Christians. We fear for the life of Khurram Masih, he must be assured protection from those who want to kill him.'” Read more.

Islamist Note to Christians reads, “If anyone decides to reopen his store, we will kill him”

Robert Spencer’s Jihad Watch has posted an update to this story. The Islamist campaign against all things contrary to Sharia Law continues, and to drive home just how dead serious they are about preventing Christians in Zakho and elsewhere from buying and selling products, notes have been left for Christians informing them that if they reopen their destroyed stores, they will be killed …

“… Islamic extremists targeted Christian shops and activities in the Kurdistan region of Iraq: in Zakho, 470 miles from Baghdad, near the border with Turkey, a fundamentalist group incited by the local imam’s sermon devastated dozens of liquor stores, a hotel and massage centres, injuring at least 30 people. The attacks have continued even in the following days in Dohok, where three shops and a community centre belonging to Chaldean Christians were burnt.

Christian sources for AsiaNews, anonymous for security reasons, add that ‘in Baghdad liquor stores are subject to threats’, the managers have received threatening letters, which state that the exercise ‘will be blown up.’ The attacks are the result of a ‘campaign’ that targets ‘all that is contrary to Shariah,’ promoted by Islamists who want to radicalize the country. Unfortunately, the source adds, there is no ‘moderate movement’ capable of containing the fundamentalist drift.” Read more.