Faith
Under Fire....
The report comes from Compass Direct, which
monitors and reports on Christian issues around the globe. The
situation has developed in Sudan.
"We want this country to be purely an Islamic state, so we must
kill the infidels and destroy their churches all over Sudan,"
Compass Direct sources in the African nation have reported that
one text message said.
See what happens with Islam is the law of the land, in "Cruel and
Usual Punishment"
The texts were dispatched to leaders of at least 10 churches in
the Khartoum area, and came in recent weeks, the report said.
Christian church leaders in the region have been at risk for
years, even with the recent declaration of a new nation, South
Sudan, which suggests some small level of separation from the
Muslim-dominated north Sudan.
But sources for the ministry organization say that Islamists have
continued to make targets out of Christians.
In fact, Muslim extremists from Pakistan, Afghanistan and
Bangladesh arrive every few weeks for training in secret camps
before they are dispatched on various "missions" around Sudan to
destroy Christians and their churches, according to sources inside
Sudan.
According to the report, the threats also have come by letter,
such as in the case of Bishop Andudu Adam Elnail of the Anglican
Church of Sudan. He reported that Muslim extremists attacked his
home, but the intended targets, Elnail and pastors Luka Bulus and
Thomas Youhana, were all away from the home at the time.
The assailants instead left a letter threatening similar attacks
in the future, Compass Direct said.
"We are aware of your anti-Islamic activities," the letter left
for Elnail said. "We have been monitoring the evangelization that
you carry out these days, and therefore we declare jihad against
you."
The threat was confirmed by Bulus, as was a house attack that
happened in Omdurman.
Further, the attacks go beyond just threats, as Elnail's church
building was burned in June, the report said.
One of the threats said, "We declare jihad against you in order to
protect Muslims from your infidel influence, because you are the
enemy of Islam," sources told Compass Direct.
It elaborated with plans to carry out a series of church
destruction missions.
Christian sources in Khartoum told Compass Direct they take the
threats seriously.
"These people are not joking – they can kill any Christian," said
a church leader who requested anonymity for security reasons.
Elnail was testifying before a U.S. House of Representatives
subcommittee recently when he said his prospects for life remained
uncertain.
"I am told that armed men went house to house, searching for me,
calling my name," the report said he told members of Congress.
A letter in Arabic was circulated to churches in Khartoum, just as
a Lutheran Evangelical Church of the Sudan building was destroyed
by flames.
A church response said, "The Muslims are targeting our church in
fear that many Muslims will leave Islam for Christianity."