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ISIS Is Now Targeting Christian Churches In The West

A priest is murdered and four hostages were taken


 

Yet another terror attack has happened in France, this time ISIS has attacked a church.


 






The priest giving mass that day was Father Jaques Hamel, who was 85 years old. In attendance that day were three nuns and two parishioners. One of the parishioners, 86 years old, was injured badly. The attackers forced the priest to get on his knees and they then slit his throat. One nun described the situation, and said the attackers said a sermon in Arabic and filmed it. The other hostages were used as human shields to keep the police from entering.

 

What do we know about the attackers?

Only one of the attackers has been named so far, Adel Kermiche.

He was only 19 years old, and had tried to get to Syria twice to join ISIS in battle there.

 

This attack comes only 12 days after the one in Nice, where more than 80 people died after a truck was driven into Bastille Day crowds. And there were also four incidents in one week in Germany, two of which were ISIS-related. The town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray is located in a suburb of Rouen in France:

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What does this attack mean for France and its security?

While this is thought to be the first attack on a church by ISIS in the west, Christians have consistently been targeted for killings and forced conversions by ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Religious leaders in France are calling for more security at places of worship, including even small churches in ordinary towns like the one attacked yesterday.

Hollande’s message is: “Our democracy is the target, and it will be our shield. Let us stand together. We will win this war.”

 

 




Photo credit: Flickr