Catholic priest executed in Syria monastery attack

[iranigirl2]

A Syrian Catholic priest has been publicly executed by rebels at a monastery in the northern Syria, the Vatican says.

Father Francois Murad, 49, was beheaded on 23 June when militants attacked the convent where he was staying.

The Vatican news agency said the circumstances of the killing were not fully clear.

But local sources said the attackers were linked to the jihadist group known as al-Nusra Front.

Unconfirmed video footage claiming to show the priest's death, together with that of two other unidentified people, has been posted on Catholic websites.

Father Murad had moved to the convent in the area of Gassanieh for safety reasons, the Vatican said.

He was a member of the Franciscan order, the official custodian of Christian sites in the Middle East.

Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the head of Franciscans in the region, said Syria had now become a battleground not only between Syrian forces but also between Arab countries and the international community.

"Let us pray so that this absurd and shameful war ends soon and that the people of Syria can go back to living a normal life," he said.

Correspondents say many of Syria's ethnic and religious minorities are being drawn into the conflict as the fighting intensifies and becomes more sectarian in nature.

Gunmen in northern Syria abducted two Orthodox Christian bishops in April as they travelled from the Turkish border back to the city of Aleppo.



BBC News - Catholic priest executed in Syria monastery attack

 

[Syrian Lion]

sick people support these terrorists, is this is their freedom? beheading people?

 

[bdslph]

as far as i know this PRIEST has nothing to do with any one then why execute him
is this democracy they want

this is a terrorist act

 

[M.harris]

al-nusra is a hardcore terrorist organization composed of different fighters.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

blood-thirsty animals.....despicable action

 

[That Guy]

al-nusra is a hardcore terrorist organization composed of different fighters.

Actually, I'd like to point out that it's not clear which rebel group commit this crime. It could be an FSA rebel, just as easily as it could be Al-Nusra rebel.

On a side note, this is why I don't support either side. Both sides are disgusting, in my completely irrelevant opinion. I'm glad Canada is not supporting any side.

 

[al-Hasani]

Firstly that is not Al-Nusra. Secondly the perpetrators are not even Syrian Arabs or foreign Arabs but non-Arabs. To me they sound and look like Chechens or some Turkic/Iranic speaking people. They are not ARABS and even the video proves that.

Lastly we do not know about those two individuals and their role in the conflict. Who says that they are not spies or have committed crimes? Would a Christian priest really support Muslims or would he favor a secular ruler? I think everyone can answer that question.

The same with that "Christian" man. Do we even know whether he is Christian - the second individual? Does it make their death more significant if they were indeed Christians and not Muslims?

Anyway the verdict is clear. If they are innocent then this is a crime and un-Islamic and the perpetrators should be punished.

But as always a few dozen of incidents on the "opposition" is blown out of proportion while the Child-Murderer keeps carpet bombing whole towns, cities and villages killing thousands in the process but not even 1 thread is being made about that.

Nor the massacres on Sunnis from May that killed 200 children, women and men people until a few days ago which was made by a fellow Sunni.

Anyway let us assume that he was completely innocent and if that is the case then those who did it are indeed savages and deserve a similar punishment for doing this.

There is already a thread about this and the video too:

http://www.defence.pk/forums/middle...front-beheads-christian-priest-man-idlib.html

 

[M.harris]

Actually, I'd like to point out that it's not clear which rebel group commit this crime. It could be an FSA rebel, just as easily as it could be Al-Nusra rebel.

On a side note, this is why I don't support either side. Both sides are disgusting, in my completely irrelevant opinion. I'm glad Canada is not supporting any side.

I hundred percent agree with you that both sides are committing crimes against humanity but al-nusra is just like TTP you can watch their videos most of their fighters are foreign nationals and they get 100$ per day for fighting in Syria you can see their videos on youtube.

 

[That Guy]

I hundred percent agree with you that both sides are committing crimes against humanity but al-nusra is just like TTP you can watch their videos most of their fighters are foreign nationals and they get 100$ per day for fighting in Syria you can see their videos on youtube.

Again, we don't know if they killed the priest or not. There is a high chance that they did, but so far they haven't claimed responsibility like they usually would.