Posted on 08/05/2004 12:27:46 PM PDT by wagglebee
A Muslim extremist group tied to al-Qaida set fire to the house of a well-known pastor in Pakistan who had been warned to "repent" and return to Islam.
Rev. Khalid Soomro survived the July 27 attack by a group called Zarb-e-Momin, reported the Pakistan Christian Post, a publication of the Pakistan Christian Congress, a political party established to protect the rights of Christians in the predominantly Muslim nation.
Soomro, of the Shikarpur District in Sindh Province, is director of Asia Kalimatullah Evangelism Ministry and a translator of the New International Version in the Sindhi language.
Family members forwarded to the Pakistan Christian Post one of the threatening messages Soomro has received.
Mr. Khalid Mansoor Soomro,
I am editor of [Zarb-e-Momin] a large weekly circulated newspaper. I come to know that you become kafir [infidel] and left Islam, and you are working against Islam in an Islamic country. This is too much.
Behave yourself and repent and again enter into Islam, otherwise, our youths will be forced to make you human being. I have read your testimonies and know about your activities. This is the first and last warning to you, your family and your whole network. If I heard any negative activity on your end then we will be on right path to punish you.
Your father,
Haji Abdul Rasheed
The Christian Post says the Islamic weekly is published by Al Radheed Trust in Pakistan, which was banned because of its connection to the al-Qaida terrorist network.
Nevertheless, the paper continues to reach its market.
The Christian Post's correspondent in Faisalabad, Pakistan, Rev. Stephen Nazir, says he also has received threatening e-mails and calls and has gone into hiding.
The leaders of the Pakistan Christian Congress have demanded the goverment take strong action against the culprits and provide for the safety of Soomro and Nazir.
This is Pakistan, our ally.
Posting negative and derogatory comments about conditions in that country, our ally, does not help the war effort.
Haji Abdul Rasheed is big on threats.
As far as allies are concerned I don't think this comment harms any effort.
Posting negative and derogatory comments about conditions in that country, our ally, does not help the war effort.
I assume you are being sarcastic here. Musharraf may be our ally because he sees us as his best chance of escaping death, but the Pakistani people hate us.
Besides, its not Pakistan that is doing this, it is an al Qaida linked terrorist group.
There's another thing the DEMOCRATS HAVE IN COMMON WITH ISLAMISTS.
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