Priests Pius Affas and Mazen Ishoa, both Iraqis, were kidnapped last Saturday in the northern Iraqi town of Mosul by an unknown group.
In published remarks, the Syrian-Catholic archbishop of Mosul, Basile Georges Casmoussa, said he is frustrated about the "indifference" among authorities towards the fate of Christians in Iraq.
The church leader, who has been involved in the difficult negotiations for the release of the priests complained that "Not one single politician has called us just to express their solidarity." He said, "Not one step of any kind has been taken," despite the looming deadline. Pope Benedict XVI also appealed for the release of Father Affas, 68, and Father Ishoa, who is in
his 30s.
PRIESTS "ALLIVE"
Basile Georges Casmoussa said that an independent source confirmed the two priests were alive. "Someone phoned somewhere and he affirmed to us that they are alive," he said in remarks to Catholic media monitored by BosNewsLife. Negotiators said they could hear the priests’ voices briefly, just two or three words, before someone interrupted the conversation.
A source close to the archbishop said the kidnappers had demanded a $1 million ransom. "They gave us a 72-hour period to prepare the sum," Casmoussa explained earlier, adding that the ultimatum was due to expire Saturday, October 20.
Negotiators said they could hear the priests’ voices briefly, just two or three words, before someone interrupted the conversation. Christians are a minority in Iraq. Before the US-led invasion four years ago, there were an estimated 750,000 Iraqi Christians, but that number dramatically declined with many living as refugees in neighboring nations,
church leaders say.
MORE VIOLENCE
Ongoing sectarian violence and a stepped up campaign by Muslim militants against churches and individual Christians are blamed for the large number of Christian refugees. Troubles began in the summer of 2004 when insurgents launched a coordinated bombing campaign against Baghdad churches, sending Christians fleeing in fear.
A second wave of anti-Christian attacks started in September 2006 after Pope Benedict XVI made comments perceived to be anti-Muslim. Church bombings increased and a Chaldean priest, also in Mosul, was kidnapped and later found beheaded.
Also, a Chaldean Catholic priest and five Christians with him were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Baghdad in June this year, but were released about two weeks later. Many other Christians have reportedly been kidnapped before being released, often after relatives paid
a ransom, seen as a source of income for insurgents, Muslim militants and ordinary crime groups.
