Pakistan: “Honor Killing” of Daughter and Boy

Pakistan’s Punjab: Young boy, girl shot dead in Sargodha
— Pakistan’s The News:
“Father shot dead his daughter and a young man in the name of honour in Farooqa Town of Sargodha.”
— “Police sources told that a man Sajjad opened fire when he found his 18 year old daughter with a young man Mubbashir, killing both of them on the spot.”

Egypt: “Muslim Convert to Christianity Prevented From Leaving Egypt”

Egypt: “Muslim Convert to Christianity Prevented From Leaving Egypt”
AINA reports: “Egyptian authorities have prevented Maher El-Gowhary, a Muslim-born Christian convert, from leaving the country. He was detained at Cairo Airport. His passport confiscated and he was advised that he is barred from traveling on orders from a ‘higher authority’.”
— “Maher and his 15-year-old daughter, Dina, who also embraced Christianity, were traveling to China on 17th September 2009, on a two-week holiday.”

ICC report

NYC: Repeal blasphemy law in Pakistan. Rev. Fr. Ilyas Gill

NYC: Repeal blasphemy law in Pakistan. Rev. Fr. Ilyas Gill

Pakistan Christian Post reports:

“A delegation of Pakistani Christian Diaspora in USA called on Federal Home Minister of Pakistan Mr. Rehman Malik and demanded repeal of blasphemy law here on September 25, 2009.
Mr. Malik was in New York in official delegation of Pakistan headed by Asif Ali Zardari President of Pakistan to participate in General Assembly Session of UNO in New York.

The Christian delegation comprised of religious leaders Fr. Ilyas Gill, Rev. Samie Samson while Manny Alam, President – Pakistani-American Christian Association , Thomas Bhatti, President- Christian League of Pakistan in America, Victor Gill, President – Christian Voice of Pakistan, Inc. and William Shahzad, Chairman – Pakistani Christian Association of USA represented political groups.

The delegates urged on “Election, Not Selection” and repeal of blasphemy law in Pakistan.

Mr. Babar Khokhar, James Gill, Javeed Khokhar, Tariq Masih, James Cyprian and other leaders of PCA were also present in meeting.”

Egypt: Mourners Protest Islamic Attacks on Copts in Egypt

Egypt: Mourners Protest Islamic Attacks on Copts in Egypt
— COMPASS reports:
— “A funeral for a Coptic Christian gruesomely killed on a village street north of Cairo by a Muslim assailant last week turned into a protest by hundreds of demonstrators in Egypt.”
— “Galal Nasr el-Dardiri, 35, attacked 63-year-old Abdu Georgy in front of the victim’s shop in Behnay village the afternoon of Sept. 16, according to research by a local journalist. Other Copts watched in horror as El-Dardiri stabbed Georgy five times in the back, according to interviews by Gamal Gerges, a reporter for newspaper Al-Youm al-Sabeh.”
— “As Georgy fell to the ground, El-Dardiri took his knife and stabbed him four times in the stomach. He then disemboweled him, slit his throat and began sawing off his head, according to Gerges. The Rev. Stephanos Aazer, a Coptic priest who knew Georgy and saw photographs of his mutilated body, said the victim’s head was attached to the body by a small piece of flesh.”
— “After killing Georgy, El-Dardiri got on a motorcycle and rode 30 minutes to another town, where he found Coptic shopkeeper Boils Eid Messiha, 40, and stabbed him twice in the stomach, according to Gerges. El-Dardiri immediately left the scene, went to nearby Mit Afif and allegedly attacked Hany Barsom Soliman. Soliman, a Copt in his mid-20s, managed to fight him off.
— “Messiha was taken to a hospital where he has been operated on at least five times. He remained in intensive care at press time. Soliman suffered lacerations to his arms but was otherwise unharmed.”
— “On Thursday afternoon (Sept. 17), about 1,000 people gathered at Georgy’s funeral to protest the killing and assaults on Coptic Christians. Protestors chanted that Georgy’s ‘blood was not [spilled] in vain’ as they carried signs that read, ‘Where are you, government? The terrorists are going to kill us.'”
— “Aazer and several other priests participated in the demonstration. Aazer, of the Behnay area, confirmed that police had been monitoring local Copts and even tracking telephone conversations of clergy.”
— “El-Dardiri was arrested on Thursday (Sept. 17) in Cairo and has been charged with murder. It was unclear when he would appear in court.”
— “Ibrahim Habib, chairman of United Copts Great Britain, said Egypt has encouraged the type of ‘radicalization’ that has led to such attacks”.
— “It is the Egyptian government’s responsibility now to stop the persecution and victimization of its Coptic minority by Islamic fundamentalists,’ he said. ‘The persecution and victimization of the Christians in Egypt has been persistent for three decades and recently escalated to a worrying tempo.'”
— “Habib added that Egypt needs to root out extremists from government agencies, ‘including the Egyptian police, which frequently show complacency or collusion with the Islamists against the peaceful Christians.'”

Somalia: “Muslim Militants Slay Long-Time Christian in Somalia”

Somalia: “Muslim Militants Slay Long-Time Christian in Somalia”
— COMPASS reports:
— “The faith journey of a long-time underground Christian in Somalia ended in tragedy this week when Islamic militants controlling a security checkpoint killed him after finding Bibles in his possession.
— ” Militants from the Muslim extremist al Shabaab killed 69-year-old Omar Khalafe on Tuesday (Sept. 15) at a checkpoint they controlled 10 kilometers from Merca, a Christian source told Compass. A port city on the Indian Ocean 70 kilometers (45 miles) from Mogadishu, Merca is the main city of the Lower Shabele region.”

Somali insurgents warn schools not to use UN textbooks as “un-Islamic” – swear allegiance to Osama Bin Laden

Somali insurgents warn schools not to use UN textbooks
— Daily Telegraph:
“Somalia’s hardline al Shabaab insurgents have warned schools not to use textbooks provided by UN agencies and other donors they accuse of being un-Islamic”

Somali insurgents bow to bin Laden — Al-Shabab swears allegiance on video

Al-Shabab Pledges Loyalty to Bin Laden

Florida: Updates on Rifqa Bary Case

Florida Judge: Rifqa Bary stays with foster family for now

Rifqa Bary Case: Runaway Convert’s Parents Want Case Moved to Ohio
— “An Ohio judge has set a hearing for Oct. 27.”
— “The Florida judge currently supervising the case said he will consult with his Ohio counterpart to settle jurisdictional issues.”

Teen who fears ‘honor killing’ will stay in care

AIFD’s Zhudi Jasser on Rifqa Bary Case