I am sure they would have been murdered anyway. No doubt.
But still, people will say anything when they are staring death in the face.
Good point. I’m sure you’ve seen the famous, possibly apocryphal, anecdote about a church service in (fill in country undergoing turmoil). Armed men from (militia or revolutionary group X) burst into the church and announce, “We’re going to shoot everyone who’s a Christian. Counting to ten ... one, two ...”.
Many of the congregants hastily leave the church, but some remain. Then the gunmen lay down their weapons, approach the remnant of the congregation, and say, “We’re Christians, too. We don’t trust anyone to worship with us unless they’re ready to die for Christ.”