Apr
24th, 2013
Metropolitan Paul
Beirut/Moscow, April 24, Interfax – Militants of the
Jabhat al-Nusra movement were the ones to kidnap two bishops in Syria, the
bishops’ friend and Syrian human rights activist Wail Malas said in an
interview with the Voice of Russia radio station.
“Most likely, with this step, the kidnappers want to
stir a conflict between various denominations in Syria. It has already become
known who kidnapped the metropolitans. It is a group of terrorists of Chechen
origin, called Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as The Detachment of Khayr-ad-Din
Az-Zarkali,” the Voice of Russia quoted Malas as saying.
The radio station reported that contradictory reports
were coming from Syria on the destiny of the two priests kidnapped by militants
on Monday – Orthodox Metropolitan Pavel Yazici of Aleppo and Metropolitan
Yohanna Ibrahim of the Siro-Jacobite Church. According to the information of
foreign news agencies, the Aleppo Diocese officials deny the previously
received information that the two metropolitans have been released.
“The two metropolitans tried to persuade terrorists to
free two Christian priests, who were kidnapped near the city of Aleppo three
months ago. After rather long talks, terrorists said that they allegedly agree.
However, when the metropolitans went to meet with terrorists, they were
kidnapped themselves. The terrorists killed the deacon who drove the
metropolitans’ car and burned the car,” Malas was quoted as saying.
“The Syrian opposition is obviously Islamist. All
their detachments are named after well-known Islamists. New members who join
the Syrian opposition change their names to the names of killed Islamist
terrorists,” Malas said.
The Syrian human rights activist said that terrorists
kidnapped and killed not only Christians but everyone who advocated for peace,
including Islamist preachers, who were opposed to the war and bloodshed.
“They call these preachers betrayers. For example, on
March 21, well-known Sunni sheikh Ramadan Al-Bouti was killed as a result of an
explosion in a mosque in Damascus. Besides the sheikh, this explosion also
killed more than 40 people. Most likely, the sheikh was killed because in his
sermons, he called for peace and tolerance,” Malas said.
Malas said that if the opposition won, Christians in
Syria were facing the same fate as Christians in Iraq – they will either flee
the country or will be killed.
“At present, about 400,000 Christians have already
fled from Syria because they didn’t feel safe in the country. It is the
terrorists’ aim to totally free Syria from Christians, and they won’t stop at
killing anyone who tries to resist them. For example, the region of Wadi
al-Nasara in Syria is populated mainly by Christians. Practically every day,
these Christians receive letters from the Syrian opposition with threats that
all of them will be killed,” Malas said.
Source:
Interfax-Religion
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