This past Easter Sunday a series of three churches and three hotels were bombed in Sri Lanka. Planned and executed by a little known Sri Lankan Islamic group, with assistance, the seven suicide bombers detonated during mass or at the hotel brunch lines. The devastation was so bad that authorities had trouble aligning body parts so at one point the death toll was well over 350. it was later reduced by 100 when they realized they may have double counted body parts. It is undeniable that some Sunni Islamic groups continue to bomb and persecute Shiite Muslims, and Christians (and others). Large terror events, such as this are reported, but there are many cases of attacks against Christians which go unreported in the Western Media. It is as if there is open season on certain religious groups. Yesterday, one person was killed in the United States at a Synagogue.
Sri Lankan authorities have said that the attack by well healed, wealthy and well educated Sri Lankan Muslims was retribution for the killing of about 50 Muslims in New Zealand. I think most news outlets have trouble believing this, as even CNN placed the term retribution in quotation marks. The Islamic radicals usually have no problem instituting attacks: think of the attacks that killed over twenty at a Catholic Church in the Philippines in January, executed once again by a group of Muslims. On Easter Sunday, before attribution had occurred, most experts noted the difficulty of planning such a large scale, multi-site attack at the same time takes months of planning and coordination, so they believe the planning began long before the New Zealand killings.
Over one third of the deaths in Sri Lanka were at St Sebastian Catholic Church. Unfortunately, the situation is still adverse, and this past weekend Sri Lankan Catholics were asked not attend mass. The ban is apparently indefinite until more perpetrators are caught. In its disruption of daily life, the terrorists win yet again. The Sri Lankan authorities believe more murder is to come, and are still in the process of hunting down those they believe responsible. This is the same government that had received warnings from intelligence sources in both the United States and India, the earliest being on April 4 but did nothing. Neglect by the government, or perhaps worse, never led to heightened security and now over 250 souls, including 38 foreigners and four Americans have lost their lives due to yet another Islamic terrorist attack. On April 26 a former Army serviceman, and convert to Islam, planned attacks on "Jews, churches and police" in retaliation for the attack in New Zealand.
The sad part is that no one should be surprised by an Easter Sunday attack by Islamic groups. Bombings of Catholic religious sites have become a rather common occurrence for both regular and special masses. Prior attacks have occurred on Palm Sunday, and Christmas. And as shown in January, it need not be a special holy day. Open Doors USA notes that every month, on average, 245 Christians are killed for faith-related reasons; 105 Churches are burned or attacked, and 219 Christians are detained without trail, arrested, sentenced and imprisoned for their faith. Those are not annual figures, but monthly figures. A Sri Lankan peace activist wondered why the terrorists chose Christian Churches for this brutality when they are a minority religion in a Buddhist dominated country. And, also, he noted, that they are subject to frequent harassment because of their faith (maybe that is why). Muslims are also a minority religion in Sri Lanka, but attacks on Christian Churches shows part of their overall strategy. Obviously, the Islamic extremists view Christianity, and Catholicism in particular, as a threat. After the New Zealand Mosque shooting, in a nice gesture, many non-Muslim's gathered in Madison for a vigil in support of the victims of that terrible event that killed over 50. There was no similar vigil for the Christians who died in either the Philippines or Sri Lanka at the hands of Islamic groups.
The Daily Beast, an online news and opinion website, asked after the Sri Lanka bombings if some Islamic groups wish to start another holy war. I suspect ISIS would think it is already in place. There is open season on religions that these particular fundamental Islamic groups do not like.
Sri Lankan authorities have said that the attack by well healed, wealthy and well educated Sri Lankan Muslims was retribution for the killing of about 50 Muslims in New Zealand. I think most news outlets have trouble believing this, as even CNN placed the term retribution in quotation marks. The Islamic radicals usually have no problem instituting attacks: think of the attacks that killed over twenty at a Catholic Church in the Philippines in January, executed once again by a group of Muslims. On Easter Sunday, before attribution had occurred, most experts noted the difficulty of planning such a large scale, multi-site attack at the same time takes months of planning and coordination, so they believe the planning began long before the New Zealand killings.
Over one third of the deaths in Sri Lanka were at St Sebastian Catholic Church. Unfortunately, the situation is still adverse, and this past weekend Sri Lankan Catholics were asked not attend mass. The ban is apparently indefinite until more perpetrators are caught. In its disruption of daily life, the terrorists win yet again. The Sri Lankan authorities believe more murder is to come, and are still in the process of hunting down those they believe responsible. This is the same government that had received warnings from intelligence sources in both the United States and India, the earliest being on April 4 but did nothing. Neglect by the government, or perhaps worse, never led to heightened security and now over 250 souls, including 38 foreigners and four Americans have lost their lives due to yet another Islamic terrorist attack. On April 26 a former Army serviceman, and convert to Islam, planned attacks on "Jews, churches and police" in retaliation for the attack in New Zealand.
The sad part is that no one should be surprised by an Easter Sunday attack by Islamic groups. Bombings of Catholic religious sites have become a rather common occurrence for both regular and special masses. Prior attacks have occurred on Palm Sunday, and Christmas. And as shown in January, it need not be a special holy day. Open Doors USA notes that every month, on average, 245 Christians are killed for faith-related reasons; 105 Churches are burned or attacked, and 219 Christians are detained without trail, arrested, sentenced and imprisoned for their faith. Those are not annual figures, but monthly figures. A Sri Lankan peace activist wondered why the terrorists chose Christian Churches for this brutality when they are a minority religion in a Buddhist dominated country. And, also, he noted, that they are subject to frequent harassment because of their faith (maybe that is why). Muslims are also a minority religion in Sri Lanka, but attacks on Christian Churches shows part of their overall strategy. Obviously, the Islamic extremists view Christianity, and Catholicism in particular, as a threat. After the New Zealand Mosque shooting, in a nice gesture, many non-Muslim's gathered in Madison for a vigil in support of the victims of that terrible event that killed over 50. There was no similar vigil for the Christians who died in either the Philippines or Sri Lanka at the hands of Islamic groups.
The Daily Beast, an online news and opinion website, asked after the Sri Lanka bombings if some Islamic groups wish to start another holy war. I suspect ISIS would think it is already in place. There is open season on religions that these particular fundamental Islamic groups do not like.
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