UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...

an international court. 261 Several armed Islamist groups, including the Mujahedeen Shura
Council (an umbrella group led by Al-Qa’eda in Iraq), 262 Mohammed’s Army, 263 Jaish Al-
Mujahedeen (the Mujahedeen Army), the Asaeb Al-Iraq Al-Jihadiya (League of Jihadists in
Iraq) as well as Ansar Al-Sunna threatened the Vatican in particular and Christians in
general with reprisals in statements posted on Islamist internet websites. 264
UNAMI HRO reported that as a result of such threats, many churches have cancelled
services and attendance has dwindled. Christian churches in Baghdad and elsewhere have
reportedly publicly displayed banners dissociating themselves from the Pope’s comments.
It was reported that, on 24 and 25 September 2006, the Chaldean Church of the Holy Spirit
in Mosul was attacked with rockets and an explosive device was detonated outside the
church’s door. 265 Furthermore, on 4 and 5 October 2006, unidentified men opened fire on
the same church, injuring one of the guards. It was reported that the following message was
written on church doors: “If the Pope does not apologize, we will bomb all churches, kill
more Christians and steal their property and money.” On 2 October 2006, a convent of
Iraqi Dominican Sisters in Mosul was fired upon. In addition, on 16 October 2006,
unknown gunmen fired at Al-Safena Church in Mosul, causing some damage to the
church. 266
In Mosul, Father Boulos Iskander Behnam, a priest from the Syriac Orthodox Church of the
Virgin Mary, was kidnapped and beheaded by men seeking retribution for Pope Benedict’s
comments about Islam. His death intensified fear within the Christian community, who are
calling for international assistance to help them leave the country. 267 In September 2006,
the new Al-Qa’eda chief in Iraq and successor of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, Abu Hamza
Al-Muhajer, called for the kidnapping of “Christian dogs” who could be exchanged for
261
Jenny Booth and agencies, Al-Qaeda threatens jihad over Pope’s remarks, Times Online, 18 September
2006, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article642645.ece.
262
A statement published on the internet by the Mujahedeen Shura Council threatened reprisals against
“worshippers of the cross” for the Pope’s remarks. The statement appeared on a website frequently used by
militant groups, but its authenticity could not be verified. Referring to a hadith (saying of the Prophet
Mohammed), it further stated: “We shall break the cross and spill the wine. [...] (you will have no choice but)
Islam or death.” It continued: “(W)e tell the worshipper of the cross that you and the West will be defeated, as
is the case in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya. God enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and
descendants the bounty of the Mujahideen. Furthermore: “The Pope in the Vatican turns in the orbit of Bush.
His remarks form part of the mobilisation for a crusade announced by Bush, to raise the morale of the
crusader armies”; see: ibid.
263
Abu Jaffar, a member of Mohammed’s Army, was quoted as saying “(T)heir leader [the Pope] has
verbally abused and offended our religion and the Prophet. Unfortunately, he did not analyse the
consequences of his speech. Our country is an Islamic land and they [Christians] will have to rely on the
Pope’s charity from now on”; see IRIN, Iraq: Christians live in fear of death squads, see above footnote 228.
264
Jenny Booth and agencies, see above footnote 261.
265
UNAMI HRO, October 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 13, see above footnote 66. See also: Asia News
reported that Mgr Raho, Mosul’s Chaldean bishop, had placed posters on the walls of the Chaldean Church of
the Holy Spirit, saying “neither Iraqi Christians, nor the Pope, want to destroy the relationship with
Muslims.” Nevertheless, the church was again attacked on 26 September 2006; see Asia News, Second attack
in three days against a Chaldean church, 26 September 2006, http://www.asianews.it/view.php?
l=en&art=7321.
266
UNAMI HRO, October 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 13, see above footnote 66.
267
Al Jazeera, Iraq priest “killed over pope speech”, 13 October 2006, http://english.aljazeera.net/
news/archive/archive?ArchiveId=36747.
63