ICC's Persecution Newsletter: August 2013

International Christian Concern | August 2013

PERSECU ION

The SUPRISING

SPREAD of RADICAL ISLAM

Like a cancer, radical Islam is metastasizing through

numerous countries

IN THIS ISSUE:

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15 18 20

2 THE SURPRISING SPREAD OF RADICAL ISLAM Like a cancer, radical Islam is metastasizing though numerous countries.

13 AN INSIDE JOB A Turkish pastor’s near assassination from hidden elements in his church mirrors the threat to common Turks from their Islamist government.

18 INTERVIEW: A FEW QUESTIONS WITH PASTOR DICKSON ICC speaks with a persecuted pastor, and learns how he smiles in the face of radical Islam.

9 EGYPT: THE ISLAMISTS SHOW THEIR TEETH President Morsi’s actions prove too much for religious-minority citizens.

15 THE PEACE OF TANZANIA VIOLENTLY DISTURBED Islamic extremism becomes a harsh reality in the east African nation.

20 YDAW Learn how your dollars are at work in China!

Dear Reader, Today I’d like to present you with a quiz. What do these dis-parate places all have in common: Boston, London, Turkey, Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, and Syria?

Give up? They are all unexpected places where radical Islam has either arrived or where it’s opened a new front. The arrival of radical Islam at any one of these location-swould be cause for alarm. But when all of them light up at the same relative time, you should take pause and real-ize that there is trouble in Dodge. Islamic fundamental-ism is metastasizing through countries at an alarming rate.

‘ T H E I S L A M I S T S A R E C O M I N G , T H E I S L A M I S T S A R E C O M I N G ’

I’m sure you don’t want to be reminded of the events in Boston where the Tsarnaev brothers planted improvised ex-plosive devices at the Boston Marathon. Incredibly though, many U.S. citizens don’t know of their motive since the press and some politicians went to great lengths to avoid discussing their religious motivation and affiliation with radical Islam.

As Dzhokhar hid in his boat hideout, he was scribbling mes-sages like “[Expletive] America,” and “Praise Allah,” on the boat. He went on to explain that “when you attack one Muslim, you attack all Muslims.” He then explained that the victims in Boston were collateral damage from U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Finally, he said his older brother was a martyr who was now in paradise and that he would join him there.

I don’t know about you, but the only people I know who think they go to paradise after murdering and dismembering innocents, are Islamic radicals.

C O N T I N U E D AT T H E B O T T O M O F PA G E 3

You can help today! 800-ICC-5441 2

Above: As Dzhokhar hid in his boat hideout, he scribbled notes, “[Expletive] America,” and “Praise Allah,” and said, “When you attack one Muslim, you attack all Muslims.”

The SURPRISNG SPREAD of

RADICAL ISLAMB Y J E F F K I N G

O V E R V I E W

3 You can help today! www.persecution.org

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2

T H E P O S T E R B O Y O F T H E M O D E R AT E I S L A M I C S TAT E

Recently, Turkey has been the scene of massive riots as the nation rebels against its increasingly radical Islamist govern-ment. Most Americans have no idea that Islamic fundamental-ists are governing Turkey, a country that for decades represent-ed the modern, moderate, secular Islamic State (see page 13).

I N T H E L A N D O F T H E P Y R A M I D S In Egypt, President Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood have hijacked a revolution that started as a democracy movement

between moderate Muslims, Christians, et al. Forget what you read in the press. This group believes in what al-Qaeda believes but they are more dangerous because they are stra-tegic, patient, and politically savvy. For the full picture, read the article on page nine.

S Y R I A Finally, we have Syria. Bashar Assad’s rule was never a shining example of good government, but for Christians, it was a place of safety in the Middle East. Now though, al-Qaeda-styled groups are in control of the opposition seeking to overturn Assad. Incredibly, our government designated the lead group a terrorist group in December 2012 but has chosen to support them and give them weapons and financial

F R A N C E

• 2010: Playwright doused with gasoline and nearly set on fire by three Muslims angered by her negative portrayal of Muslims.

• 2010: Five Islamists arrested over plan to kill Paris’ leading Muslim cleric.

• 2012: Islamist murders three French soldiers and four people at a Jewish school.

• 2012: Two soldiers are shot to death in an al-Qaeda drive-by attack.

• 2012: Three Jewish men severely beaten with ham-mers by 10 Muslims.

• 2012: Islamist throws grenade into a Jewish store.• 2013: A Muslim shouts, “Allah Akbar,” and stabs a

police officer.

B R I TA I N

• 2013: After Islamists butcher a random man in the streets, Prime Minister Cameron promises to “drain the swamp” of radical elements.

• Tony Blair, former prime minister, says radical Islam “is profoundly dangerous.”

Radical Islam Popping Up Everywhere

E G Y P T

T H E S O U R C E

At the core of the surprising spread of radical Islam stand the Saudis and Egyptians. The Saudis’ main contribution is money. They (the gov-ernment and individuals) have probably spent close to $2 billion in the last 40 years exporting Wahabbi Islam via mosques, maddrassas, imams, political groups, and armed movements (with al-Qaeda the only one known to the massess due to 9/11). The Egyptians and the Muslim Brotherhood are the theological head and the thought leaders (strategy/intellectual leadership) of radical Islam.

O V E R V I E W


aid. In what universe this makes sense, we don’t know.

The only seemingly plausible explanation is that the U.S. is using Syria as a fly trap for Islamist radicals (keep them busy and off U.S. soil). The strategy would be to give the rebels enough aid to weaken Assad and force him to break off with Iran, but not enough help to actually topple the regime. We can only hope that is the strategy because the U.S. has already handed southern Iraq, Libya and Egypt to Islamic radicals. Tunisia is probably headed the same way. Again, for the sake of brevity, we won’t do an article on Syria.

T H E J E W E L O F E A S T A F R I C A On May 5, Islamists threw a bomb into a church in Tanzania,

seriously injuring 60 people. The reason this attack is signifi-cant is that while Islamist radicalism is expected in Zanzibar (an island that is part of Tanzania and 99 percent Muslim), persecution of Christians on the mainland was unheard of until quite recently (see page 15).

L I O N S A N D T I G E R S A N D. . . Islamists recently killed two pastors and have been throwing grenades into churches. While these attacks are dramatic and deadly, there are many more mundane attacks and killings that signify that jihad has washed ashore in the land of safa-ris. For the sake of brevity, we won’t do an article on Kenya.

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 5

K E N YA

• 2006: Christian radio station attacked by Islamists—one killed and two injured.

• 2008: Islamists attack church, pelting worshippers with stones, injuring 10.

• 2010: Six Christian missionaries raped/tortured for three days by Islamists.

• 2010: Two parents torture and murder daughter for conversion to Christianity.

• 2011: Christian convert beaten unconscious by seven Muslims for apostasy.

• 2012: Islamists attack numerous churches with grenades.

• 2013: Islamists shoot two pastors and throw grenade into a church.

T U R K E Y

• Prime Minister (PM) Erdogan comes to power and quickly purges military that restrained radical Islam for decades.

• Numerous bishops, priests and Christians murdered in the last six years.

• New Islamist radio shows launch that rail against Christians and Jews.

• PM Erdogan limits freedoms of women/minority groups. New Islamic restrictions on non Muslims.

• PM Erdogan restricts speech, charges indi-viduals with “insulting Islam” or “insulting the State.”

• Erdogan has imposed severe restrictions on the press.

• PM Erdogan’s government has the largest number of imprisoned journalists in the world!

• Masses fed up with creeping Islamism.

S Y R I A

• A priest murdered, among others. • The U.S. is funding al-Qaeda-backed rebels

in a move to topple the Assad regime.

L I B YA

• Lybian dictator deposed with U.S. help; fundamentalist Islamists now in control.

TA N Z A N I A

• 2012: Islamists burn at least eight churches to the ground

• 2013: Pastor beheaded. 2013: Priest murdered. 2013: Islamists shoot two pastors and throw grenade into a church.

• 2013: Pastor beheaded.• 2013: Priest murdered. • 2013: Church bombing. • 2013: Possible assassination attempt of papal envoy.• 2013: Attempted assassination of pastor.

S AU D I


W H E R E I S T H E P R E S S ?

The amazing thing to watch in all this is the lack of me-dia scrutiny, or worse yet, to watch how the press will take some egre-gious act from fundamentalists and then use it as a jumping off point for Islamophobia.

For example, Ham & High published an article: “Islamophobia: Camden’s success in tackling prejudice and hate,” in response to two Islamists publicly beheading a random citizen in the street to make a statement about Islam. The BBC aired a show (“Free Speech”) in response to the killing, asking the question, “Is Britain more racist and Islamophobic?”

It’s laughable or maddening but the same type of coverage is seen around the world.

Part of the problem is the whack-a-mole nature of radical Islam leading many to only see the tree and miss the for-est. Also, many journalists tend to view Islam through a left/right political lens, thinking that since mainly the right brings up radical Islam as an issue, then criticism of Islam is viewed as suspect (“the enemy of my enemy is my friend” could be a rough approximation of the attitude of some).

This refusal to confront Islam’s malignant side and bash or

name-call the Islamists only encourages the extremists and leads to more violence.

I S L A M I S A R E L I G I O N O F P E A C E ?

Islam has also managed to paint itself as a victim and as a peaceful religion, thanks to Bush, Obama, et al (“Islam is a religion of peace”).

In light of Islam’s lengthening trail of oppression and bloody victims (there have been 21,000 Islamic attacks since 9/11), it is anybody’s guess how long the West will go on with the “Islam is a religion of peace” line.

To me, this line represents a failed strategy that came from either the intelligence community, the State Department, or both. It is part of an

attempt to separate the radicals from the moderates and it recognizes a time-worn truth that if you hit Islam head on, the Sunnis and Shias will circle the wagons and violently attack the outside threat. In other words, I suspect the U.S. government has chosen this strategy in an attempt to keep Islam from lashing out in violence in reaction to any critique of Islam as a whole. We all can see how this strategy is work-ing...it is a miserable failure.

Incredibly, even Tony Blair, the former liberal prime min-ister of England, has come out and said there is a problem

THE REFUSAL TO CONFRONT ISLAM’S MALIGNANT SIDE

AND TO BASH AND NAME-CALL [ITS PRACTITIONERS]

ONLY ENCOURAGES THE EXTREMISTS

AND LEADS TO MORE VIOLENCE.

Left: An Islamist in London who butchered a random man in the street for Allah explains his actions with his hands still covered in blood. Right: The press’ reaction? The dangers of “Islamophobia.”

O V E R V I E W


within Islam. He has moved away from his earlier, “Islam is a religion of peace,” angle:

“There is only one view of the murder of the British soldier Lee Rigby . . .but there are two views of its significance. One is that it was an act by crazy people, motivated in this case by a per-verted notion of Islam, but of no broader significance. Crazy peo-ple do crazy things, so don’t over-react. The other view is that the ideology that inspired the murder of Rigby is profoundly dangerous. I am of the latter view.” -Tony Blair

Mr. Blair on the whole, though, still has his head partially in the sand (at least publicly) in regards to the nature of Islam.

U N D E R S TA N D I N G I S L A M

The truth is that the followers of Islam use extreme violence to intimidate and confront non-Muslims because Muhammad prescribed it as normal treatment for those he deemed his foes. Islamists use violence because Muhammad told them (and still tells them via the Quran and Hadith) to use vio-lence to bring territory under submission to Islam. This is

a simple truth that can be verified with very little study of Islamic texts. Yet strangely, very few leaders in the press or the government seem to be able to discover it. Hmmmmm. The core mission of Islam is to bring the whole world under

submission (“Islam” means sub-mission) to Allah and his prophet, Muhammad. His adherents have always been willing to use evan-gelism to expand Islam, but it’s never worked very well in com-parison to the violent methods Muhammad prescribed (jihad). If you have not studied Islam and understood this basic fact, then this article (and newslet-ter) may disturb your sensibili-ties and sound hateful and big-oted. Unfortunately, it is not. It is merely a telling of truth without any polishing or placing of rings into snouts.

If I haven’t lost you already, read on and be alarmed at the number of moles popping up out of their holes around the world. The Saudis and Gulf States have been spreading rad-ical Islam around the globe for 40 years since the wealth of the world started to flow into the Gulf. Their faithful in-vestment is bearing fruit. Unfortunately, that fruit is blood, death, and totalitarianism.

...THE OTHER VIEW [OF RADICAL ISLAM] IS THAT

THE IDEOLOGY THAT INSPIRED THE MURDER

OF RIGBY IS PROFOUNDLY DANGEROUS. I AM OF THE

LATTER VIEW.

TONY BLAIR, FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF BRITAIN

J I H A D F A C T

= 1,000 attacks

There have been 21,000 Islamic attacks since 9/11

Attacks have taken place in the following countries:

Afghanistan Algeria Angola Argentina Australia Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belgium Bosnia Britain Bulgaria Cameroon

Canada Chad Chechnya China Denmark East Timor Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia France Gaza Georgia Germany India Indonesia

Iraq Israel Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Kosovo Lebanon Macedonia Maldives Mali Mauritania Morocco Nepal

Netherlands Nigeria Pakistan Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Scotland Somalia Spain Sudan Sweden Syria Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Tunisia Turkey Uganda Ukraine United Arab

Emirates United States Uzbekistan Yemen

A N E W C O L D WA R ?

There is a great parallel between current events and the Cold War. Two ideological foes are battling for control of nations. The foe is advancing everywhere, in spite of the fact that they are plainly evil. They are nimble and well-funded, and their evangelists are everywhere, advancing a false ideology and world paradigm that seduces many. Their opponents (Western governments) are slow and clumsy and seem to make one wrong move after another.

The only thing more dangerous this time is that the battle involves religion, not just economics and worldview. Religion is a truly pri-mal force in the heart of man.

T H E WAY F O R WA R D

Natan Sharansky, the face of the dissidents in the old Soviet Union, spoke of being in the gulag when the prison guards allowed him to read Pravda’s denouncement of Reagan’s speech at the Berlin wall. At the wall, Reagan shouted to the world and to Gorbachev: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

The dissidents all ecstatically started tapping in code to one another through the thick prison walls. Sharansky said, “Finally, the leader of the free world had spoken the truth, a truth that burned inside the heart of each and every one of us.”

Once the West found its voice and called a spade a spade, Sharansky and his fellow dissidents knew with certainty it was only a matter of time before the Soviet Union would be defeated. They didn’t know when it would fall, but they knew the final direction of the battle.

So it is with the main enemy of freedom and liberty today. As long as we play games in the West and refuse to boldly and forthrightly condemn the evil of radical Islam, our governments give them ideo-logical cover and actually help them to expand.

While we wait for the West to awake and find its voice, please pray for those in the path of radical Islam and support us in our work to build and bandage those in the fray.

As always, we will use your gifts efficiently, ethically, and effec-tively.

I promise! Jeff King


ICC DEFENDS AND BUILDS THE

PERSECUTED CHURCH AROUND THE

WORLD. THE CHURCH STANDS IN THE

WAY OF RADICAL ISLAM WHEREVER IT

IS AT WORK AND SUFFERS FOR IT.

THE PERSECUTED CHURCH IS TRULY

THE PROVERBIAL “CANARY IN THE

COAL MINE” SIGNALING THE SPREAD

OF ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM.

THEY ARE FIRST IN LINE TO BE

ATTACKED AND KILLED BY ISLAMIC

FUNDAMENTALISTS.

THAT IS WHY WE SPEAK

FORTHRIGHTLY IN RELATION TO

RADICAL ISLAM.

O V E R V I E W

TO UNDERSTAND ISLAM AS YOU NEVER HAVE BEFORE, PLEASE READ

“ISLAM UNCENSORED” BY ICC’S PRESIDENT, JEFF KING

Available on Amazon.com


“The word love is never mentioned in the Qur’an; it’s never promoted. The concept that God is love, or that God loves me is not part of Islam. There is no concept of redemption. In order for us to be guaranteed to go to heaven, we must die in the jihad against non-Muslims.

The word jihad means only one thing: war with non-Muslims to extend Islam by a process of converting sinners. The concept of sin in Islam is being a non-Muslim; non-sin is being a Muslim.”

-Nonie Darwish in “Islam Uncensored”

“A great read. Fourteen amazing interviews that span from Athiest to Christian to Muslim to Jew, Conservatives and Liberals alike. The underlying thread in all of the interviews is that Islam is not only a religion, but political and their goal is to rule the world through Sharia Law. This book is a MUST READ for every American citizen who values our freedom and our Republic and for anyone who wants to undertand why there is such a backlash against Islam.”

-Reader review, Amazon.com

O V E R V I E W


Imagine Islamists attacking the Vatican and killing Catholic worshipers. What if the Italian police that were called to quell the violence joined in the attack on the worshippers? What if those same fictitious Islamists laid siege to the Vatican, trapping worshipers there all night as they threw Molotov cocktails and shot at them?

Well the equivalent recently happened in Egypt this April, as Islamists attacked St. Mark’s Cathedral (the Coptic papal seat) in central Cairo. The Coptic pope, in response, blasted the Egyptian President Morsi, saying the attack “breached all red lines.” Beyond the attack, the Coptic pope said Egypt was collapsing.

The attack on the “Coptic Vatican” is shocking enough, but

the casual follower of events in Egypt could be excused for not becoming alarmed, thinking that it is just another sad chapter in the long-term, ongoing, sectarian violence be-tween Christians and Muslims.

The only problem is that the attacks go way beyond the Christians: President Morsi’s government recently con-victed and sentenced 27 employees of various NGOs for inciting unrest. These workers came from organizations like Freedom House, International Center for Journalists, Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation, International Democratic Institute, and the National Democratic Institute.

Incredibly, these groups have all been ordered to close and surrender all their assets. The NGOs had been working

Egypt: The Islamists Show Their TeethB Y M I C H E L L E P A R K A N D J E F F K I N G

Egyptians took to the streets early July to protest President Morsi.

M I D D L E E A S T

hand-in-hand with the government to promote democracy and were even given permission to monitor the democratic election until December 2011 when armed raids began.

A N E W I S L A M I S T S TAT E

Sadly, these two vignettes are representative of hundreds of others that signal that democracy in Egypt is dying, and Islamists are attempting to create a theocracy.

While the popular press has characterized the revolution in Egypt as a historic democratic movement, the truth is that Islamist radicals (who have the same core belief and ulti-mate goal as al-Qaeda) have hijacked what was truly a move of the people to bring democracy to Egypt. In fact, Islamic radicals (the Muslim Brotherhood) are now firmly in the po-litical driver’s seat in Egypt.

This is stunning to say the least, because Egypt has been largely viewed as a modern and moderate Islamic country for the last 40 years. In fact, Egypt was the one Muslim country that signed a historic peace treaty with Israel!

Four years ago, no one could have seen this coming; today’s reality on the ground would be seen as an absurd and alarmist fantasy by any who would have laid it out as a prophecy of Egypt’s near future. In a relative moment, Islamic radicalism has taken over another country.

T H E M U S L I M B R O T H E R H O O D

The political party in con-trol of Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood, is a political, social, and religious organization that started in Egypt in the 1930s by Hassan al-Banna, a radical Islamist scholar who sought to turn all Muslims (and the states they lived in) back to the fundamentals of Islam. Its goal was, and is, to bring Egypt and the world into line with the principles and com-mands of Muhammad as laid out in the Quran and Hadiths. The Muslim Brotherhood was suppressed for 80 years in Egypt by the British and subsequent Egyptian governments, including Hosni Mubarak, but they never stopped growing in influence and power.

Financially supported by the Saudis and Qataris (as well as their own investments), they are the thought-leaders and strategists of radical Islam and have touched or influenced most of the successful political or military movements of Sunni Islam of the last 30 years.

The only difference between the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda would be in their tactics and strategy. They both fight for individual na-tions, and eventually the whole world to be under Sharia law. The Brotherhood, being very savvy politically, believes in a gradual and strategic approach, while al-Qaeda wants to achieve the goal immediately, and only knows brute force.

The driving credo of the Muslim Brotherhood is “Allah is our objective; the Quran is our law; the Prophet is our lead-er; Jihad is our way; and death for the sake of Allah is the highest of our aspirations.”

T H E M U S L I M B R O T H E R H O O D ’ S C O N S O L I D AT I O N O F P O W E R

These are the people who have stolen the revolution and are tightening their political control and grip over Egypt every


ALLAH IS OUR OBJECTIVE; THE QURAN IS OUR LAW; THE

PROPHET IS OUR LEADER; JIHAD IS OUR WAY; AND DEATH FOR

THE SAKE OF ALLAH IS THE HIGHEST OF OUR ASPIRATIONS.

MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD CREDO

While the press characterized the revolution as a historic democratic movement, Islamic radicals are now firmly in the political driver’s seat.


day. Political power in Egypt is purposefully divided, as it is in the U.S., among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Just as important, but not an official organ of pow-er, is the military. There is also the press which is influential, but to a much lesser degree than in a real democracy.

Currently, Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood are in full control of the executive and legislative branches. They have partial control of the military and are increasingly gaining control of the judiciary and press. Egyptian judge Ayman Fouad laments that judges who pass decisions contrary to the Muslim Brotherhood’s interests are removed from their positions and even physically beaten. The verdict on the re-cent NGO lawsuit scandal points to this trend of the Muslim Brotherhood’s fast encroaching take-over.

T H E M U S L I M B R O T H E R H O O D ’ S H E AV Y - H A N D E D N E S S

The government’s heavy-handedness towards its citizens is increasingly apparent.

The cries of the afflicted Coptic Christians, who comprise 10 percent of the Egyptian population, are growing louder. Salafist-led attacks on churches have become a weekly ritual for the Islamists who declare Christian churches illegal. In February 2013, St. Georgas Coptic Church in Sarsena was completely burned to the ground and some members of the church were injured. The police were present at the event, doing nothing to stop the destruction. The police are often seen behind sectarian violence against Christians.

Morsi’s participation in a nationally televised Friday service at el-Tenaim Mosque confirmed his loyalty to the Muslim Brotherhood fundamentalist agenda. As the cleric prayed the following prayer, Morsi was seen nodding in agreement:

“Oh Allah, grant us victory over the infidels. Oh Allah, de-stroy the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, disperse them, rend them asunder. Oh Allah, demonstrate your might and greatness upon them. Show us your omnipotence, oh Lord.”

Sadly, most Egyptians now realize that they ousted one dic-tator, only to crown a new pharaoh: Mohammed Morsi.

W H AT I S T H E U . S . D O I N G ?

Despite all of this, U.S. aid is still devotedly flowing into Egypt. In fact, the U.S. has actually increased its aid in

terms of unplanned transfers of cash and advanced weapons, including F-16s. The U.S. did this in spite of the fact that Morsi and the Brotherhood have threatened to wipe Israel off the map and have moved tanks into the Sinai, which is forbidden under their historic treaty with Israel.

Why the U.S. has chosen to reward this group of radi-cal Islamists that stole power from moderate Muslims and Christians and have run roughshod over the rights of its peo-ple is beyond understanding. Why we advanced aid without a tie-in with basic human rights, again, is unfathomable.

In interviews conducted by International Christian Concern, Egyptians say that U.S. actions are incomprehensible. They assume there is some sort of “deal” worked out behind closed doors between the Muslim Brotherhood and United States.

C O U N T E R R E V O L U T I O N ?

It is increasingly becoming obvious to many Egyptians that the Muslim Brotherhood is incapable of governing a country.

Egypt’s economy is collapsing with unemployment, now officially over 13 percent, which is considered an under-estimate. The unemployment rate is much higher for the discriminated minorities. Tourism, the cornerstone of the Egyptian economy, has also collapsed as instability and vio-lence continue to characterize the country.

Christians fear the worst. Many have taken flight, voting with their feet. While the Christian population used to hover around 20 percent, it could be as low as five percent. Morsi’s initial 57 percent approval rate has dropped to 28 percent, disdain for him is increasing. The encouraging

A petition to force Morsi to step down has gathered 22 million signatures.

M I D D L E E A S T

thing in this dire situation is that the original coalition of moderate Muslims and Christians from the 2011 revolution is coming back together and their voice is strengthening. A petition to force Morsi to step down has gathered 22 mil-lion signatures. Pro-democracy activists at the time of the writing of this article are carrying out a massive protest in Tahrir Square (where the revolution began) in June. They are refusing to back down. Incredibly, the military has come out on TV saying they will fix things if Morsi doesn’t listen to the protestors.

Sadly, the U.S. and our ambassador are trying to squelch the protests and calls for democracy. Pro-democracy elements in Egypt now refer to the U.S. as the Muslim Brotherhood’s stooge. One opposition leader, Shady el-Ghazali Harb, said the U.S. had earned its administration “the enmity of the Egyptian people.”

A F O R K I N T H E R O A D

Egypt stands at a fork in the road. Whether it tips into a fun-damentalist Islamist theocracy, or a new and truly democrat-ic awakening, remains to be seen.

The Muslim Brotherhood’s power and control of the nation-state is increasing every day. After waiting in the wings for 80 years, they will not give up without a brutal fight. They view their grab of power as directed by Allah. They are on a holy and historic mission and are willing to use brutality and even die for their cause. They are also organized, well-fund-ed, and politically savvy. Sadly, this hand is hard to beat.

We remember what some Christians told ICC and other Western Christians when the revolution was just beginning: many felt that the Lord had told them that they would go through a period of brutal oppression that would last for a number of years.

Regardless of the future, the present is simply stunning. Egypt is truly a prima facie case for the surprising spread of radical Islam.


OH ALLAH, GRANT US VICTORY OVER THE

INFIDELS. OH ALLAH, DESTROY THE JEWS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS. OH ALLAH, DISPERSE THEM, REND THEM ASSUNDER.

-PRAYER OF A MUSLIM CLERIC, IN WHICH PRESIDENT MOHAMMED MORSI WAS

SEEN NODDING IN AGREEMENT

Pro-democracy activists at the time of the writing of this article are carrying out a massive protest in Tahrir Square (where the revolution began) in June.


Emre Karaali, pastor of the Izmit Protestant Church, start-ed his day like any other with the morning newspaper on Wednesday, January 16, 2013. As he read through the paper, he discovered that the previous day, security forces had ar-rested 14 people who were part of an assassination plot.

A few hours later, the police called Pastor Emre into the sta-tion and briefed him on the situation, explaining that he was the target of the assassination plot.

Pastor Emre and his family, all Turkish converts to Christianity, have served at the church for four years. The church itself has been the target of vandalism and even attempt-ed arson in the past. The church has about 15-20 active members who are all Turkish believers.

“Two of [the arrestees] at-tended our church for over a year and they were like family,” Pastor Emre said after the ar-rests. One of the men had even participated in a baptism service a few months earlier. Others in the group of 14 had also visited the church and seemed to show some interest in Christianity, but were not well known to Pastor Karaali.

During the months that these two men had been attending the church, they collected personal information on the pastor and his family, kept detailed records on where he went and when, created maps of the pastor’s home and the church, and kept lists and photographs of those who visited the church.

The security forces stepped in and made the arrests just days before a series of evangelistic meetings where the murder was planned to be carried out.

R A D I C A L I S M H A S L A N D E D I N T U R K E Y

This incident is one of many troubling incidents that have occurred since the rise to power of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (JDP or AKP party) in 2002 (see box next page). Taken as a whole, this trail of incidents reveals a government and politi-cal party that are increasingly willing to show their Islamist core wiring. This boldness is working through the culture as well.

A S H E E P I N W O L F ’ S C L O T H I N G

Since 2002, the JDP, led by Prime Minister Erdogan, has been the ruling party in Turkey. Erdogan is a radical Islamist who, even in high school, was noted for his zeal for Islam. He was formerly the mayor of Istanbul but was imprisoned for inciting religious hatred (essen-tially for radicalizing Muslims) when he publicly recited a poem that spoke of mosques as bar-racks, the minarets of mosques

as bayonets, and Muslims as an army.

After serving four months of his sentence, he was released and reentered politics, forming the AKP. In 2002, his party won the parliamentary elections, but due to his conviction, he was barred from holding office until a constitutional amendment removed his disqualification.

In 2003, Erdogan took office as the prime minister. After winning a second term in 2007 with an increased share of the vote, the AKP became increasingly bold. Both he and the party are willing to reveal more of their fundamentalist and

an inside jobA Turkish pastor’s near assassination from hidden elements in his church

mirrors the threat to common Turks from their Islamist government

B Y T O D D D A N I E L S A N D J E F F K I N G

Screenshot from euronews.net’s report of Turkey riots.

C E N T R A L A S I A


authoritarian nature.

In addition to promoting Islam and Islamic values through the tools of the State, Erdogan’s recent actions appear to be moving in a more dictatorial direction: lim-iting freedom of speech, manipulating media sources, and mindlessly attacking people who are practicing their democratic freedoms. Alarmingly, Turkey now has the largest number of imprisoned journalists in the world!

This media censorship instills fear in any who rely on Turkey’s democracy to ensure their freedom, be it free-dom to challenge their own government or freedom to worship the god they choose in the manner they choose.

The direction of the Erdogan-led party worries not only foreign observers and Christians, but many secular Turks as well. These groups responded to the harsh rule of Erdogan and the more conservative direction he is taking the country with large-scale protests that began in Istanbul and spread throughout the country in June 2013.

W H AT ’ S N E X T F O R T U R K E Y ?

The future remains uncertain for Turkey. As of the writ-ing of this article, the Turkish people who have been pub-licly protesting Erdogan’s and AKP’s increasing Islamist and dictatorial course have been pushed off the streets by security elements. These protests were the first sub-stantial pushback against Erdogan and his AKP party.

Erdogan and his party are Islamists and have their roots in the Muslim Brotherhood. Like their brothers in Egypt, they attained power by cloaking their true ideol-ogy and wiring. Like the Brotherhood, they have over-reached and may pay the price. As seen by their more recent militarism, they will probably not go quietly and will not give up. It seems that Turkey will increase in fundamentalism.

Whether the Islamist AKP holds onto power and strengthens its grip on Turkey, or nationalist elements regain power, time will tell. Either direction spells trou-ble for Christians. One thing we know for sure: the rise of radicalism in Turkey, the poster boy for the modern, moderate, and secular Muslim country, is indeed star-tling. One has to think that if Turkey can turn radical, then all Islamic countries are vulnerable.

T H E R I S E O F I S L A M I C R A D I C A L I S M I N T U R K E Y

Since 2002, multiple priests and Christians have been murdered, including: Father Andrea Santoro, February, 2006;

Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, January, 2007.

There are now Islamic radio shows that warn women not to shake men’s hands and remind them to behave modestly.

These would never have been allowed pre-Erdogan.

E R D O G A N ’ S G O V E R N M E N T. . .

• Quickly purged the military of generals who had acted for decades as the “guardians of secularism.” This was to preempt them from grabbing back the reigns of power as they have in the past when leaders have drifted towards Islamic radicalism.

• Has changed the education system to promote Islamic education.

• Fired the liberal head of the massive Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) and replaced him with a more conservative leader. Diyanet manages all reli-gious personnel (which increased from 74,000 in 2002 to more than 117,000 presently) and activities for the Sunni Muslim community, including controlling the content of the sermons preached in the mosques. Diyanet’s budget is $1.6 billion annually (an 18 per-cent increase in 2013).

• Has expressed strong support for Hamas, a group la-beled as a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union.

• Has placed restrictions on speech and charged indi-viduals with “insulting Islam” or “insulting the State,” though the two are beginning to appear as the same thing.

• Is considering reopening the Hagia Sophia (HS) as a place of worship for Muslims. The HS was, for approxi-mately 1000 years, the world’s largest Christian cathe-dral and served as the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church until Muslims confiscated it in the 1400s by Ottoman Turks. It was turned into a museum in the 1930s. This is a highly provocative act.

Facts on Turkey


The Peace of Tanzania Violently Disturbed

B Y R E B E K A H J O Y C H A P M A N

Islamic Extremism Becomes a Harsh Reality

A U T H O R ’ S P E R S O N A L N O T E :

I stared at the picture of the destroyed church, tears flowing freely down my face. Broken glass, rubble, and doors ripped in half –the images gripped at my heart. Why? The church I was looking at is located eight short minutes from the house in Tanzania where I grew up, and these people experiencing these horrific attacks are my friends and neighbors.

Last October, an angry mob of Muslims went on a rampage and destroyed three churches in eight hours. This rioting oc-curred in my old neighborhood in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city. However, it is not just the location of the attacks that alarm me; it is because Tanzania is my home, and the Tanzanian people are my people.

I left Tanzania five years ago. When I was there I could walk to church with my family, Bible in hand, unafraid. I had never heard of anyone in Tanzania attacked or persecuted for their faith. I went to church services underneath huge trees, out in the open, and the thought that I might be in danger because I was worshipping Jesus never crossed my mind.

But that has all changed. Over the past 14 months, ICC has documented 66 violent incidents of persecution. Alarmingly, much of this persecution has occurred in the past eight months. There is a clear escalation and geographic broadening of violence. In this once peaceful land, violent persecution is now reality and is rapidly changing the country of my youth (see graph page 17).

To me, Tanzania is not just another alarming example of the spread of radical Islam. It is my home, and it is under attack.

Map of radical Islamic attacks across Tanzania’s landscape.

Zanzibar

Main land

A F R I C A

T H E E S C A L AT I O N O F P E R S E C U T I O N

The violence started when a young Christian boy, egged on by a Muslim friend, urinated on a Quran. Two days later, on October 12, 2012, a large, angry Muslim mob formed and went after the boy, planning to kill him. When the mob discovered the boy was being protected by the police, they rioted and burned down three churches.

Over the next few months, two pastors were murdered and one pastor had to evacuate because of a death threat. “Last October during the rioting, a mob attacked our church guesthouse setting fire to it. The mob then began making its move towards our residence compound saying they were go-ing to kill us. We split up, sending people off the island by various means to an undisclosed location,” shared a pastor from Zanzibar that spoke to ICC.

On February 11, 2012, another pastor was killed. “A group of radical Islamists armed with machetes, big clubs, knives and sticks assaulted [the Christians] and seriously beat them,” said another ICC contact in Tanzania. “When Pastor Kachili heard about the attack, he rushed to the scene to intervene. When the Muslims saw him they immediately attacked and ultimately beheaded him.”

A D I S T U R B I N G E S C A L AT I O N

However, the most violent of all the attacks was yet to come. On Sunday, May 5, St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church was bombed, killing three people and injuring over 50. “When it exploded there was a stam-pede, people running in all directions, walking over each other, children were screaming and women crying,” a witness told Al Jazeera. “I saw a dead woman trampled, I think even her two children were killed in the same way,” another wit-ness added.

The months of May and June brought three more brutal attacks. “[The] attack at my church occurred on May 26, 2012,” Pastor Dickson said. “Radical Muslims, who are growing in number in Tanzania, set fire to my church building. They set fire to all of the chairs, musical equipment and our PA system,” the pastor explained. “They even [burned] our Bibles and set my car on fire.” Pastor

Daudi Nzumbi was also attacked, the Muslims coming to his home to kill him. Thankfully, they did not succeed and no one was injured. Two nights later, Pastor Robert was as-saulted by a large group of radical Muslims. The attackers broke into his home and attacked with machetes, hacking his arms and legs. He survived but is still in recovery.

In a new low, ICC has learned extremists are strategically us-ing rape to persecute Christian women. At least six Christian girls were raped by Muslim extremists on the island of Zanzibar in the past couple of months. Muslim leaders are ac-tually proud of the violence. A threatening text message sent to many Christian leaders af-ter Father Evarist Mushi was killed reads, “We thank our young men, trained in Somalia, for killing an infidel. Many more will die. We will burn

homes and churches. We have not finished: at Easter, be pre-pared for disaster.” Though no attacks took place over the Easter holiday, many Christians on Zanzibar are still afraid to attend church regularly and are beginning to wonder if abandoning the island would be their safest option.


Pastor Dickson, a persecuted Christian in Tanzania, hid in his church office while rioters destroyed his church and set fire to his car.

“WHEN PASTOR KACHILI HEARD

ABOUT [AN] ATTACK, HE RUSHED TO

THE SCENE TO INTERVENE. WHEN THE

MUSLIMS SAW HIM THEY

IMMEDIATELY ATTACKED AND

ULTIMATELY BEHEADED HIM.”

-ICC CONTACT IN TANZANIA

Since the majority of the attacks are occurring on the island of Zanzibar, you would expect the attacks on the mainland of Tanzania to be concentrated on the coast. What’s disturbing, however, is how widespread the attacks on the mainland are, occurring hundreds of miles apart (see map page 15).

T H E H I D D E N R E A L I T Y

Sources are telling ICC that Saudi Arabia plays a malignant role in this unfolding nightmare. “Spurred by the massive influx of petrol dollars, starting roughly 40 years ago, the Saudi government has spent more than $100 billion build-ing radical mosques and madrassas (Islamic boarding schools),” says Jeff King, ICC’s president. He explains that the problem is widespread, occurring even here in America. “In this way, the Saudi investment has paid off in hatred, bloodshed, violence, and the recent rise in Islamic terror-ism. In the U.S., many experts are warning that up to 70 percent of U.S. mosques are funded and controlled by Saudi/Wahabbi Islamists.”

The Saudis have a reputation for turning moderate Muslims into radicals, using both madrassas and mosques to heavily influence peaceful areas. “Generally, Christians are denied employment, places to live and the government schools are Islamic making it very hard on the chil-dren. The pressure to convert to Islam is immense,” shared a pastor from the island of Zanzibar. When asked why he thought this persecution was hap-pening, he answered, “Radical Islam, funded by the Middle East (Saudi) wants all non-Muslims off the island. They want an independent, Sharia Law Islamic Republic aligned with the Middle East. If they can’t force independence politically, they’ll use violence to chase away the Christian presence.”

The pastor from Zanzibar also attests to the rapid changes Tanzania has seen over the past year. “Tanzania was once the only stable country in the region. It’s now shaking,” said the pastor. He warns that there might be a civil war on the horizon: “It’s the assessment of the Western intelligence agencies and military intel that the region is headed for civil war. It’s unavoidable; once Islam hits 50 percent it must rule. Tanzania borders eight other countries. Once it falls, it will be a hub for regional takeover. The overall picture for Africa is quite bleak. Radical Islam is advancing. It is well funded. It has a goal and a plan.”

T H E F U T U R E O F TA N Z A N I A

Radical Islam will not be stopped from terrorizing Tanzania and spreading across East Africa unless immediate action is taken. Unfortunately, Tanzania’s government has been use-less in preventing attacks and protecting Christians from vi-olence. Since the first day persecution began, they have yet

to convict any of the attackers.

ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, William Stark, said, “The Tanzanian government needs to arrest and con-vict the perpetrators of this violence and end the culture of impunity. They must be proactive and take action for Tanzanian Christians so they do not have to live in terror. Religious free-dom is protected by the constitution of Tanzania; they should back it up.”

Unfortunately Tanzania’s government has not shown any signs of awakening from their stupor. Given that harsh reality, the future for Tanzania is very bleak and many Christian leaders wonder if this all leads to civil war. Christians are increasingly living under a cloud of terror (the whole objective of the Muslim radicals) as they see the violence grow in breadth and intensity while the government fails to protect them.

If events continue to unfold in this fashion, the bloodshed in Tanzania will increase until peace and religious freedom are luxuries of the past, and every Christian living in this once peaceful nation lives in terror.


“TANZANIA WAS ONCE

THE ONLY STABLE

COUNTRY IN THE

REGION. IT’S NOW

SHAKING.”

-PERSECUTED PASTOR FROM ZANZIBAR

40

Total

Zanzibar

Mainland

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013

N U M B E R O F AT TA C K S

A F R I C A


ICC: CAN YOU DESCRIBE IN DETAIL WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOUR CHURCH WAS ATTACKED?

Pastor Dickson: In April 2012, I asked (my) church to enter into a month-long fasting and prayer. It’s like I was sensing a great danger. So we started fasting and praying. I remember on Saturday it was my normal custom to be in the church for the overnight prayer and fasting (24 hours). Working in an Islamic area, you really need to have God’s power. Therefore, on May 25, 2012, I was in the church. It was very special because we were concluding our one-month fasting and prayer.

So as I was in my office around [9 p.m.], I felt again the imminent danger. I went to the church auditorium and asked the young men and women who were praying to stop praying in a loud voice. I also asked them to put off the light, and I went back to my office meditating and preparing my sermon. Twenty minutes later I had a great number of people coming towards the church, chanting “Allah Akbar, takbir, burn the church...etc.” So I rushed to the church and helped the women to go out of the wall on another side because these people, who were more than

200, were pushing the gate. When they failed to push the gate, they managed to pull down the wall and entered church compound. They collected our plastic chairs (more than 700) and all of our PA system and musical equip-ments, piled them together, poured some fuel and set on fire. They went out and set on fire my only small car.

As they were doing this I was still hiding in my office. I had the time to run away but something was holding me back. In my office, I couldn’t pray. I was thinking that what we learn from Church history about persecution is very real and live to me. I didn’t know what to do but I was ready for anything. I knew why God had pushed me into long-time prayer. It was like I was dead already. I was thinking of my lovely wife and my kids. I understood that day why Paul said, “To die is to be with Christ and to live is for Christ.”

That story went live on TV so some of my members came the same night. Others were crying especially women. On Sunday more came to the church. I remember sitting in my office wondering what am I going to say before the con-gregation. I didn’t want to cry before them but deep down me I was bitterly crying. By the help of the Holy Spirit I

A few questions with Pastor Dickson

If anyone knows targeted persecution, it is Pastor Dickson. After his church building was attacked and his car set on fire, Pastor Dickson still finds a reason to smile. In an intimate interview with ICC, he shares his hope for the future of Tanzanian believers.

I N T E R V I E W

stood before them and said, “Why God has allowed this to happen to us - it is because he trust us.” I used Job’s experi-ence to point out that we should encourage one another, that God is proud of us and that he still loves us. I had never seen such a powerful service like that day. People became so strong. It was like they confirmed that our faith is real and that our Jesus is real.

WHY DO YOU THINK THIS PERSECUTION IS HAPPENING?

I think there is an element of radical Islam invading our country. There is a group who have this element and are advocating to break from the union. They are claiming that, since 99 percent of the population is Muslim, then Zanzibar should be ruled by Islamic laws (Sharia). My church is the target because of its influence. It is the larg-est and most powerful church on the island and because God is greatly using us in signs and wonders, some Muslims are attract-ed and we have some converts from Islam.

The reason behind this is an increase in the number of fundamentalist and radical elements in Zanzibar and Tanzania in general. In the case of Zanzibar, this is fueled by separatists who are advocating for the [island] to break away from the [mainland]. Separatists want to break away from Tanzania because many fundamen-talist Muslims believe that being tied to the mainland is causing Zanzibar to become “Christianized.”

It is very difficult to know who exactly is behind this [in-crease in persecution]. But it is obvious these people are well funded and they have strategized their campaign of persecuting Christians, aiming to their specific goals.

I don’t exactly know why my church was targeted, but I think one reason is that my church congregation was growing very fast. God has been using me mightily. Many people, including Muslims, have come for healing and some of them are converting to Christianity.

HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENT OF TANZANIA OVER THE PAST YEAR?

There are big mosques built in Zanzibar. There are some popular mosques which are known to be preaching vio-

lence against Christians. Video tapes to propagate vio-lence against us is everywhere in Zanzibar. We are living under normal threat. As am speaking I am not free to go the public areas with my family. My life has been home - church - home. Our community has greatly changed. I just see fear, hatred among the people. In general, there is an increased hatred of Christianity on the island now. Attacks against churches have increased.

HOW HAS YOUR FAITH HELPED YOU GET THROUGH THIS PERSECUTION?

My faith has helped me to get through these persecution. First of all the Bible teaches me that persecution is part of our Christian life. Jesus made very clear that “they will per-secute and even kill you....” Church history is covered by the stories of persecution. I strongly that God has called me in Zanzibar and since he has called me he will protect me.

Whatever will happen to me then it will be the divine appointment.

IN THE PICTURE OF YOU STANDING NEXT TO YOUR BURNED UP CAR, TAKEN RECENTLY AFTER THE ATTACKS (PAGE 18), YOU HAVE A HUGE SMILE ON YOUR FACE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOU ARE ABLE TO SMILE SO SOON AFTER THE ATTACK?

I am a leader. When things like this happen people look at you. They want to hear what you say. Whatever you do or say may have either negative or positive impact. Paul in Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice.” Paul was in jail as he was writing this letter. He had all the reason to be sad and to ask people to mourn about him. Instead he encour-aged people to rejoice even at this difficult time. Why? Because the Bible says “...the Joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). When the devil attacks he wants you to be scared, full of fear, weak. He wants you to stop do-ing what you are doing. This is what they did to Peter and John: “They called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18). Peter had to be firm, “for we can not help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). God has done great things to me... I am a leader. In a place like this you just need to find strength in the Lord.


[THE PERSECUTION] WAS LIKE [THE ATTACKERS]

CONFIRMED THAT OUR FAITH WAS REAL AND THAT OUR JESUS WAS

REAL.

-PASTOR DICKSON

I N T E R V I E W

YOUR DOLLARS AT WORKBIBLES TO CHINA Bibles to the Persecuted

AID TO CHRISTIAN WOMEN IMPRISONED IN CHINA FOR PUBLISHING BIBLESSuffering Wives and Children

In efforts to build the Church overseas, ICC funds the printing, smuggling and distribution of Bibles into China. This past quarter, we sent almost 10,000 Bibles that will be shared with under-ground pastors and house churches all over the country.

After founding a Christian publishing company with her pas-tor husband, Ruth ran the day-to-day operations, including obtaining a legal license for the business. However, she was later arrested on charges saying the license was fraudulent. Her husband was not informed; rather, when she did not re-turn home one day, he went searching at the police precinct. When the police refused to provide legitmate evidence for her arrest, he knew the charges came due to their recent publish-ing of Christian books and DVDs deemed “too bold” for the Communist party censors. In efforts to relieve her suffering, ICC provided funds for her to purchase basic toiletries and ad-ditional food for nutrition while she is imprisoned.


Y D A W


AID TO CHRISTIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYERS IN CHINA Suffering Wives and Children

SHOPS FOR FAMILIES OF IMPRISONED CHRISTIANS IN INDIA Suffering Wives and Children

UNDERGROUND PASTOR SUPPORT IN BANGLADESH Underground Pastors

While on location, ICC Regional Manager Ryan Morgan recently met with a group of Christian human rights lawyers (pictured). These brave men and women boldly and publicly campaign for greater religious freedom for China’s estimated 160 million Christians. All have faced arrest, imprisonment, or harassment for their work. When house churches are threatened with closure or worse, these attorneys fight on behalf of religious freedom for Christians. In doing so, they invite the wrath of the government of China, including but not limited to: jail time, disbarment from their profession, and harassment for both them and their families. ICC is able to support this group monthly, allowing them to carry on pro-moting religious freedom in China and helping to provide for their families and loved ones when they are arrested, de-tained, and unable to work because of government harassment.

When seven Christian men were arrested at random on false charges, their families were left to suffer, as the “breadwinner” was no longer home. ICC has recently supplied each family with the content to run their own sustainable business: either a small miscellaneous shop or livestock. These small businesses and livestock will provide women and children a way to make sustainable income while their husbands are away. ICC is also providing funds for the Christians’ lawyers.

ICC currently supports four underground pastors and their families in Bangladesh, a country that is 98 percent Muslim. These pastors disciple and train other underground pastors and missionaries; run outreaches to Muslims seeking to know the Gospel; and disciple Muslim-background believers. They also work with the poorest of the poor, providing physical needs as well as spiritual comfort. They report that they are seeing a large number of converts among Bangladesh’s poor who are hungry for the hope of Christ.

Y D A W


RESTORING SIGHT IN SUDAN Community Rebuild

KENYA PASTOR RECEIVES MEDICAL ASSISTANCE Underground Pastors

ICC recently completed an eye camp, restoring sight to hundreds of people. This is the second eye camp of 2013; ICC funds about four per year. Christians have been caught in the middle of Sudan’s civil war, which has destroyed not only homes, but hospitals, leaving Christians who live in remote villages without access to medical treatment. These Christians suffer blindness due to cataracts. Our eye camps, on average, perform over 70 surgeries and 200 ad-ditional medical treatments.

Pastor Ibrahim Makunyi was shot and injured by suspect-ed al Shabaab sympathizers in February in broad daylight. His pastor friend, Abdi Weli, died in the attack; Pastor Ibrahim was seriously wounded and received medical treatment in Nairobi. Because of our donors, ICC provided funds to help cover the cost of his medical bills, halting his family from going further into debt. Pastor Ibrahim is an encouraging example to other pastors in the area who are worried about attacks themselves.

While on location, ICC Regional Manager Ryan Morgan met with the leaders of a house church and underground Bible school. They relayed not only informa-tion on their ministry but also on a house church leader imprisoned in Xinjiang Province (name withheld).

The school, which has two locations, is secret and trains young aspiring students in both English and Bible. The students hope to eventually assist western teachers and missionaries with teaching in house churches across China. ICC provided Pastor J with enough funds to purchase new bilingual study Bibles for each of the 16 students upon their graduation. Check out our September issue of Persecution to learn all about ICC’s work in China!

CHINA: UNDERGROUND BIBLE SCHOOLS Underground Pastors

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Documents

ICC's Persecution Newsletter: August 2013