Thursday, July 11, 2013

In The News: Persecution Increasing; Concern At Sinai








Security officials say suspected militants have killed a Christian merchant in the northern Sinai Peninsula.

They said 60-year-old Magdy Habashi was abducted last Saturday from the town of Sheikh Zweid. His decapitated body was found early Thursday in a cemetery, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.


Habashi is the second Christian to be killed in northern Sinai in less than a week. Coptic Christian priest Mina Abboud Sharobeen was gunned down by suspected militants last Saturday as he walked in an outdoor market.

There has been a backlash against Christians by Islamist militants for their activism against former President Mohammed Morsi, ousted by the military on July 3 after a wave of massive protests against his rule.




Tortured In The Sinai: 'I Was Hanged For Days'






“In scattered locations across Egypt,” wrote Morning Star News, “mobs of hard-line Muslims enraged over the deposing of the country’s Islamist president [Muhammad Morsi] this week attacked Christian homes, business[es] and church buildings and were suspected in the shooting death of a priest.”


None of this should come as a surprise.  As Gatestone Institute reported right at the beginning of the June 30 revolution, anonymous “letters addressed to the Copts threatened them not to join the protests, otherwise their ‘businesses, cars, homes, schools, and churches’ might ‘catch fire…. This message is being delivered with tact. But when the moment of truth comes, there will be no tact’.”  Several popular and influential Brotherhood leaders and supporters made the same threats, including Sheikh Essam Abdulamek , Dr. Safwat Hegazy , Dr. Wagdi Ghoneim, and Sheikh Abdullah Badr.


True to their word, now that Morsi and the Brotherhood have been ousted, Egypt’s Christians are being heavily targeted by Brotherhood supporters.  On July 3rd, in a village in al-Minya in Upper Egypt, the services building of St. George Church was looted and torched.  Likewise, the evangelical Saleh Church in Delga was attacked and caught fire, while the villagers, the majority of whom are Copts, had their homes and businesses looted and torched. Two Christians were injured from the fires.  According to the pastor of Delga Catholic Church, who was able to escape the fire only through the roof, “supporters of former President Morsi are engaged in continuous and unprecedented harassment of Copts. He said that a number of those people broke into the homes of Christians at gunpoint, terrorizing women, children and seizing gold jewelry and furniture. He contacted security forces, pleading for help. Witnesses said security arrived next morning.”


Another Islamic mob tried to “attack the main Coptic cathedral in Qena, but the military fought them off. The group moved on to attack Christian-owned homes and businesses in the area, sources said. Also on Wednesday (July 3), a mob attacked the Church of the Holy Virgin in the coastal town of Marsa Matrouh with stones, but the military also repelled them.” “It is a miracle no one was killed in the attacks” a woman told Morning Star News.


 Four more Christians were slaughtered by Muslims in Luxor province.  The attack is being positioned as “collective punishment”: some Muslims accused Christians in the village of killing a Muslim, although Christians deny it, saying the Muslim was killed by another Muslim, but the mob decided to scapegoat the Copts.  Dozens of Christian homes and businesses were looted and torched.  Hundreds of Coptic villagers fled.

Elsewhere in Egypt, Christians are being kidnapped and held hostage for ransom money, a phenomenon that has been on the increase, particularly the targeting of Coptic children.
“This is just the beginning,” said one Coptic Christian woman from Upper Egypt who was interviewed. “They won’t be happy until they steal everything we own and kill us all. How can anyone be full of so much hate? If I took my eyes off God, I would shrink and die.”
Another Egyptian woman, incensed at the overthrow of the tyrannical Brotherhood, and like all Brotherhood supporters, scapegoating Egypt’s Christian minority, declared, “I am a religious [Muslim] Egyptian lady. I tell the Christians one word. You live by our side! We will set you on fire! We will set you on fire!”






Also see:








Regardless of who carried out the strikes in northwest Syria on Friday that reportedly destroyed a fresh crop of advanced Russian land-to-sea missiles, the silence that endured in its wake — ruptured Tuesday by the Free Syrian Army’s chief spokesman — is in the interest of both Israel and Bashar Assad.

Shortly after the pre-dawn strike, Syria’s state-run television channel dryly reported “a series of explosions” near the Alawite stronghold of Latakia.


Only Qassem Saadeddine, spokesman for the FSA’s Supreme Military Council, was more explicit. He told Reuters on Tuesday that the rebel army’s intelligence network had identified newly supplied, Russian Yakhont missiles being stored at the Syrian naval base at Safira, and that the strike, which was not carried out by his men, was of a military scale.
“It was not the FSA that targeted this,” Saadeddine said. The attack, he elaborated, was carried out “either by air raid or long-range missiles fired from boats in the Mediterranean.”
A former defense official confirmed to Reuters that Yakhont missiles, capable of paralyzing Israeli maritime traffic along the Lebanon coast and imperiling Israel’s natural gas platforms, were in fact kept at that base near Latakia.
And yet silence, if indeed this was an Israeli strike, is in the interests of both sides.





Images analysed by experts at IHS Jane's Intelligence Review has revealed a hitherto undisclosed surface-to-surface missile base deep in the Saudi desert, with capabilities for hitting both countries.
Analysts who examined the photos spotted two launch pads with markings pointing north-west towards Tel Aviv and north-east towards Tehran. They are designed for Saudi Arabia's arsenal of lorry-launched DF 3 missiles, which have a range of 1,500-2,500 miles and can carry a two-ton payload.
The base, believed to have been built within the last five years, gives an insight into Saudi strategic thinking at a time of heightened tensions in the Gulf.
While Saudi Arabia does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel, it has long maintained discreet back channel communications as part of attempts to promote stability in the region.
The two countries also have a mutual enemy in Iran, though, which has long seen Saudi Arabia as a rival power in the Gulf. Experts fear that if Iran obtains a nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia would seek to follow suit.

The missile base, which is at al-Watah, around 125 miles south-west of the Saudi capital, Riyadh, was discovered during a project by IHS Jane'sto update their assessment of Saudi Arabia's military capabilities.

"We do not want to make too many inferences about the Saudi strategy, but clearly Saudi Arabia does not enjoy good relations with either Iran or Israel."
Officials at the Saudi Embassy in London did not get back with a response when contacted by The Telegraph. The Israeli Embassy in London said: "We have no comment on this matter."






Egypt is seeking permission to send thousands of soldiers to Sinai, in order to battle Islamist groups that have ensconced themselves there after fleeing Egypt's major cities. The Times of London said that Egyptian's military rulers had filed the request for a major deployment in Sinai earlier this week.

The current request would see the largest number of Egyptian troops in Sinai since the Yom Kippur War, and their mission would be more open-ended. Many Islamists, members of the Muslim Brotherhood and other groups, have fled Cairo and Alexandria in recent days as the army clamps down on their movements, in the wake of the deposing of former President Mohammed Morsi.








12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow I was just about to send you the link to the Saudi missile article . I've often wondered how they would be a player in Psalm 83 with the strong ties to the United States ? We all know they hate Israel but would never do anything about it do to Us backing . But with yesterdays news article saying we are still going forward with the F-16 sales it kind of makes sense . What do you think of Israel being okay with Russian troops getting the okay to replace Austrian troops in exchange for S300 sales being disbanded ? WHAT IS ISRAEL THINKING ? . Its getting back to that point where keeping up with current event is getting harder and harder (Hmmm ? Kinda like birth pangs ?)

Ps Nate

Anonymous said...

Oh Ps, Mrs C , I'm the real Nathan . I couldn't get back on here (not sure why) for the longest time since Scott had to change the format but it was during the time when all the ANONS were wrecking this board . Someone had started using my name and bad mouthing you . It wasn't me . I had to sit here and watch you call me a liar over and over and couldn't respond . It was SO FRUSTERATING !

Dylan said...

I like this system much better. Even though I had to make a google account (couldn't remember my previous google password).

Any news on the Russia/Golan situation?

Also, in response to Dave's comment on the last post, I don't remember any arrogant comment and certainly don't harbor any offense.

Stephen said...

Stocks are UP again.....way up.
Records on the dow.....

and yet, as mentioned last nite,
market is RUNNING OUT of bears
very quickly. the AAII survey
is 18 % but any MORE of this bulling and we could see 10 %.

Similiar numbers were seen JUST PRIOR to the crash of 1987.

Wall Street is SO FIXATED on this
Bernanke jerk off. Like he has the
power of God....at his fingertips.

we are almost to the 13th. we will
see what happens. maybe I am wrong again, we will see.

Stephen >>>>>>>>>>>

Dave Down Under said...

Hi Dylan g'day again mate. Once again thanks for your concern and your support. I love this place because we as Christians can connect internationally and help and pray for each other whilst keeping our eyes on God like that wonderful Egyptian Christian women said in the article which brother Scott posted.
I must say though, that if this is the path America is headed on, as in the totalitarian option, and if she possesses the most feared and advanced military in the world, then what's to stop her in time from using her might to force her policies on the rest of the world? Spiritually speaking, I'm learning to take my eyes off America's covering as Australia's protective ally. With all that's happening I've since discovered (shamefull to say since I'm a 20 year Christian) its wise to trust God and not in the union between allie nations. My peace has increased a lot praise God.

Just another question; when all is said and done by the Obama government, what will be the future of the Democratic Party after president Obama has had his time of fame?

Anyway, must go. Tina and I have today off work and its Friday so I'm off to enjoy this blessed day in The Lord Jesus Christ. Just some verses to share which have been a comfort for me.
Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 26:3-4, John 14:1, 14:27, 16:24,33. Actually John chapters 14-16, I found as a very important sermon. 2cor4:16-18, 5:14-21 & 6:3-4. 2cor 3:5-6, 17-18.

Blessings all
Dave Down Under

Anonymous said...

Hi Dave Down Under,
just wanted to thank you for taking the time to post those verses.They came at such a good time, because I have been having some stomach issues and have been fretting over it, wow! God's timing is always perfect.Isaiah 26:3-4 has always been one of my favorites.Your list is now tucked in my Bible.
Thanks again and God bless.

Dave Down Under said...

Hi Mary, thanks for you're kind words. I'm sooo glad God could help through those scriptures.

If I could encourage you to buy a really good book by Joyce Meyer called 'The Battle Belongs To The Lord'. I value this book and look upon it as a kind of manual to doing warfare. Joyce uses scripture to put this manual together and it's principles have given me the courage and direction needed in my times of seemingly fear and hopelessness. She uses a story in her life when she was faced with a certain type of breast cancer. She said she used the biblical principles of worship and waiting on And talking with God about her situation, and she came out victorious in the end.

Our pastor gave a really great sermon last Sunday on waiting on God. He said that we need to as Christians get back to just sitting in silence before God and just know that He is God. Don't say anything necessarily, just sit. I've been doing that for 15 mins most nights finding that nothing happens necessarily during my waiting, but the next day some victory will happen or something will fall into place or I'll be experiencing inner peace or new boldness, things like that. No way am I saying stop asking God for our needs but we must get back to sitting in silence, wether it be 5 minutes or 1 hr.

I hope you're family is well Mary. If I can pray for you pls don't hesitate to ask.

Dave Down Under

Stephen said...

And as MUCH as I want the end to come, I must face reality. it will
BE what it will be.....period.

EWI counts are quite BULLISH now,
stocks appear to be ON A ROLL to
go alot higher.

as stated MANY TIMES in the past,
I give VERY HEAVY weight to the
wave counts.

and i am NOT sure as of tonite
when the bulling will end.

time will tell.

Stephen >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Anonymous said...

Dave,
I am familiar with Joyce Meyers books, but have not heard of that one.
I love your pastors suggestion about sitting in silence before God. I have tried it, but now I will make a greater effort. Sometimes we talk too much and need to just enjoy His presence.
You can pray for me. My stomach issues are nothing serious, but can not seem to get my mind off it. Now I think it has turned into anxiety.Aren't we humans a funny bunch!
sorry to ramble about non prophecy issues, but sure appreciate the prayers.
thanks, maranatha!

Dylan said...

Mary, I'll pray for your stomach and related anxiety. I agree, spending even 5 minutes a day just in quiet, wordless prayer is amazing. I've been doing it more since I've been baptized and it's as if just connecting with God in a wordless, emotional way helps to fill me with the Holy Spirit and get through the day with a smile on my face no matter what happens.

Anonymous said...

Hi Dylan,
Thanks, much appreciated. Also, thanks for your thoughts and opening up conversations on this blog again.We all need each other in these weird times we are living.

Dylan said...

No problem. It's so difficult to find Christians my age interested in prophecy. They all know prophecies will come true but they find current events and politics "boring". I suppose Christ has equipped us all differently for service, but sometimes it's hard to understand how on can be not interested in watching for signs of his return.