Rome, Italy, Oct 7, 2009 / 13:45 pm
On Saturday, October 3, a 55 year-old Christian nurse named Imad Elia Abdul Karim was kidnapped, and despite pleas by Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk for his release, his body was found Sunday, according to Vatican Radio.
The father of two was outside his home when he was kidnapped by Islamic extremists. Upon learning of the news, the archbishop called on authorities to help Imad and denounced the continuous attacks on Christians by extremists who “take advantage of the lack of security in order to carry out kidnappings and demand ransom.”
“Everyone knows,” the archbishop said, “that Christians are citizens of this country and this city. There is no question about their devotion to their homeland, about their sincerity.”
Archbishop Sako deplored the violence against Christians, “who desire to have a role in the reconstruction of the nation,” and encouraged “governmental officials and honest people of Iraq and Kirkuk to do everything possible to protect citizens without distinction.”