Iraq's Christians terrorized by wave of bombings
EmailPrint.. AFP/File – Iraqi Christian Siba Nadhir, who survived last week's church carnage in Baghdad, lies on her hospital …
By BARBARA SURK and HAMID AHMED, Associated Press Barbara Surk And Hamid Ahmed, Associated Press – Wed Nov 10, 3:52 pm ET
BAGHDAD – Suspected Sunni militants took aim again at Baghdad's dwindling Christian community, setting off a dozen roadside bombs Wednesday and sending terrified families into hiding behind a church where walls are still stained from blood from an attack nearly two weeks ago.
Five people were killed and 20 were wounded in the bombings and mortar attacks that targeted Christians across the city, police and hospital officials said. Iraqi Christians are already reeling after the earlier attack on a Sunday Mass service left 68 people dead, and many are now wondering whether it's time to leave their homeland.
At a house on the grounds of Our Lady of Salvation Church, Karim Patros Thomas was under no illusion that the community is under siege.
On Oct. 31, Thomas' brother-in-law bled to death on the church floor after militants stormed the building, shot congregants in the first row, held others hostage and then set off bombs when Iraqi forces came to the rescue. Then Wednesday morning, two bombs went off in quick succession outside his home.
"We are terrified," Thomas said, who sought refuge with his family Wednesday at the church. "I cannot go back to my house. They will attack again. They want to kill us."
A priest at the church, Moukhlis Shash, said four families arrived Wednesday, and he expects more in the coming days. He said some of the families found on their doorsteps a bullet wrapped in paper that read: "Your blood is legitimate for us."
Security was beefed up around churches in Baghdad after the church massacre, possibly pushing the militants to target the homes as easier targets.
Several police vehicles, equipped with machine guns, surrounded the church Wednesday. The building's outside walls were still riddled with bullets. Pictures of two priests, killed in the siege, hung above the main entrance. Pieces of black cloth, each adored with a white crucifix, were tied to the metal fence surrounding the church.
Police said at least 11 roadside bombs went off within an hour Wednesday in three predominantly Christian areas of central Baghdad. Two mortar rounds also struck Christian enclaves of the predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Dora in south Baghdad. Two bombs planted in deserted Christian homes in western Baghdad destroyed two houses.
The night before, a series of bombs hit three empty houses belonging to Christians but no one was hurt.
"It's not worth staying in a country where the government is not able to protect you even when you are sitting in your house," said Juliet Hana, a 33-year-old Christian who lives in one of the neighborhoods targeted Wednesday. She was having breakfast with her daughter when she heard the bombs go off, and said she plans to leave soon for either Syria or Jordan.
Catholic officials estimate that more than 1 million Christians have fled Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Many went to Syria, which in recent days has seen a greater number of arriving Iraqis than usual.
Sargon Dawod, director of the Assyrian General Conference in Damascus said eight families — 30 people — have immigrated to Syria over the past 10 days. He expects that number to increase.
Fadel Mikha Sam'an, 66, said he went to Syria four days ago after losing three relatives in the church attack.
"The terrorists are killing Christians. They want to empty Iraq of Christians," he said.
Sunni militants such as al-Qaida justify their attacks by questioning whether the Christians are loyal to countries in the West rather than to Iraq. A group linked to al-Qaida in Iraq has claimed responsibility for the attack on the church.
Iraq's top Catholic prelate, Chaldean Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, has encouraged the remaining 1.5 million Christians to stay in the country and asked authorities for more protection.
At the Baghdad church, Thomas said the Christians have no tribal leaders or militias to protect them. He is begging his wife to leave the country with their children.
His wife, Selma Edward Eskander, said she considers Iraq's Muslims her family too.
"I don't want to leave. I just want to be somewhere where my children are safe," she said, still dressed in black to mourn her older brother. "I wonder what has happened to Iraq. We Christians and Muslims used to live together."
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Associated Press writer Sameer N. Yacoub in Amman, Jordan, and Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria contributed to this report.
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