Washington D.C., Nov 2, 2010 / 10:00 am
Catholic bishops in the U.S. expressed their solidarity with Iraqi Christians after Islamic militants stormed a cathedral in Baghdad, killing more than 50 faithful and wounding over 70.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) also said that the United States has “failed” to safeguard Christians in Iraq and stressed the moral obligation the U.S. has to protect the human rights of those within the country.
On Oct. 31, gunmen linked to al Qaeda took over 120 faithful hostage at the Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation during Mass, demanding that the Coptic Church of Egypt release the wife of one of its priests, whom the extremists claim voluntarily converted to Islam and was locked up by the Church.
After the Iraqi military raided the church to free the hostages, over 50 people, including 3 priests, were killed. Vatican Radio reported that between 70 and 80 people are seriously wounded from the attack, many of them women and children.