'Groom These Women': The Persecution of Christians, April 2024

The following are among the abuses and murders inflicted on Christians by Muslims throughout the month of April 2024.

The Muslim Slaughter of Christians

Uganda: On Apr. 10, a Muslim man murdered his mother for refusing to leave the Christian faith. Two months earlier, Sulaina Nabirye, a 50-year-old widow, had put her faith in Christ. Immediately, her 31-year-old son, Arajabu Mukiibi, began to pressure her to return to Islam, according to a relative (name withheld for security reasons):

"During the month of Ramadan, she complained of her son pressuring her to stop attending church and revert back to Islam, since he was studying to become an imam at Bugembe Mosque. When she refused to convert back to Islam, he stopped visiting her at her house and threatened to chase or even kill her."

Due to these threats, the anonymous relative began to visit the mother more often, and was present on Apr. 9, when the son visited. After pretending that he had reconciled himself to his mother's Christian status, he said that his wife was preparing dinner for them:

"At 7 p.m. he came with food, which he gave to us, and he left. I was praying and fasting, so I did not eat the food. Shortly after eating the food, Sulaina started vomiting, and then followed diarrhea. I tried what I could, but things were worsening, I called a nearby clinic officer who came with medication. He tried to put her on drip, but all was in vain."

Nabirye died that night, around 2 a.m. The food was discovered to be laced with methanol, a toxic chemical. "Her son did not come to help his mum," the relative said. "He and his wife who were living close by did not show up. This made me conclude that he is the one who planned the poisoning."

Muslims, sadly, have poisoned their Christian relatives in Uganda on many occasions over the years.

United Kingdom: On Apr. 11, Ahmed Alil, a Muslim man, stood trial for the Oct. 15, 2023 murder of a 70-year-old pensioner and the attempted murder of his housemate, Javed Nouri, a convert to Christianity. According to the prosecutor, Alil considered Nouri an "apostate" and "therefore somebody who deserved to die." During the trial, prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford said that Alil, armed with two knives, had kicked open the door of his housemate Nouri's bedroom while shouting "Allahu Akbar," then lunged at him, and repeatedly stabbed him. Nouri managed to fight him off and escape Alil, still armed and irate, stormed out of the house and randomly stabbed—six times—a passerby, Terence Carney, 70, who died at the scene. Even though his violence and murder were prompted by his housemate's apostasy to Christianity, on being arrested, Alil tried to present his behavior as a product of wanting "Palestine to be free from the Zionists."

Nigeria: Some April headlines from the ongoing Muslim genocide of Christians in the African nation:

• Apr. 19: "Twenty-nine Nigerian Christians slaughtered in three-day pogrom"
• Apr. 2: "Alleged Fulani Militants Kill Four on Easter Monday in Nigeria"
• Apr. 25: "Mother, Baby among Christians Slain in Plateau State, Nigeria. More than 30 killed in Fulani raids."
• Apr. 26: "Three Christians Slain in Benue State, Central Nigeria"
• Apr. 29: "Herdsmen Kill at Least Six Christians in Southeast Nigeria. Children among the dead."
• Apr. 29: "ECWA Pastor Slain in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Armed 'bandits' ambush him on highway"
• Apr. 30: "Slaughter of Christians Continues in Central Nigeria. Scores killed in Benue state since January"

Kenya: On Apr. 9, members of the terrorist group al-Shabaab killed a farmer in a Christian village previously targeted by the Islamic terror group.

Burkina Faso: On Apr. 18, "jihadists" murdered a catechist.

Pakistan: Rape, Forced Conversion, and Abuse of Christians

On Apr. 26, a Muslim man named Muhammad Shehroz, led a 4-year-old Christian boy, Moosa Masih to a field where he brutally sodomized and then sought to strangle the child to death. According to the boy's father, Shan Masih, Shehroz was known to the family and thus familiar to the trusting boy. As they scoured the region, they heard faint cries from the field, and "When we arrived at the scene, Shehroz was strangling Moosa. If we had been 10 minutes later, we could have lost our son." Shehroz grabbed his clothes and fled the scene. Discussing this incident, the British Asian Christian Association said that "the brutal assault on a child" is "an all too common occurrence in Pakistan":

"The disturbing frequency with which Christian children are targeted is especially troubling, given their small minority status in the country. The lamentable truth is that their marginalized status makes them incredibly vulnerable. Adding to this sorrowful reality is the fact that Christians often hold pariah status, further exacerbating their vulnerability. Unfortunately, the police and the courts frequently display reluctance in pursuing justice and often overlook reports of such crimes when Christians are the victims."

On Apr. 4, a 13-year-old Christian girl, Sania Ameen, was abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and turned into the second wife of Muhamad Saif, a Muslim. Even though it is illegal in Pakistan to marry underage girls, the authorities refused to act on the Christian family's pleas to recover their daughter, due to a birth certificate that had obviously been forged, which claimed she was 18. A court subsequently ruled that, being of age, Ameen had willingly converted to Islam and married a Muslim man. The marriage was orchestrated by the assistance of "a Muslim extremist known for his involvement in the conversion of Christian women and encouraging Muslim men to groom these women into marriage," according to Dr. Adil Ghouri, who is assisting the family:

"Qari Shakir Hussain [a member of an Islamist organization in Pakistan] is notorious for orchestrating illegal conversions of minor Christian girls. He instigates Muslim men to abduct Christian women and brings them to his residence, where he arranges marriages."

In an interview, Ameen Masih, the abducted girl's father expressed the harrowing ordeal his family has been experiencing, adding, "All I want is to get my daughter back to me!... Muhammad Saif brandishes weapons and strolls through my street, threatening me. He has warned me that he will kidnap my other daughters if I don't withdraw the application against him." Meanwhile, "the police have yet to arrest any of the culprits, leaving Ameen Masih and his family in a state of vulnerability and distress."

In a separate but similar case, a Christian father revealed in late April that his 15-year-old daughter was kidnapped, forcibly converted to Islam and married to her Muslim abductor. According to Salman Masih:

"It's been nearly two months now that I'm desperately searching for my minor daughter, Muskan. She went missing from home on March 11, but despite my frantic appeals to the police for recovering her, my child is still in the custody of her Muslim abductor, Arsalan Ali."

Although Masih had filed a report with police within one hour of his daughter's abduction, they ignored him. When he pressed the matter, and

"After several hours of waiting, I was told that a police team would come to my home the next day, but I would have to pay them 5,000 Pakistani rupees (USD $18) in 'fuel cost.' The police's indifferent attitude helped the accused in moving my daughter to a safe location and carrying out his nefarious act."

As in the previous case of 13-year-old Sania Ameen, the kidnapper and his accomplices presented forged papers to an indifferent court:

"According to the documents handed to me by the police, the Islamic conversion and Nikah (marriage certificate) were held on the same day Muskan was abducted from home. The next day, Arsalan filed a petition in the court ... in the name of Muskan in which stated that she was an adult aged 19 years and had converted and married of her free will."

The impoverished sanitation worker added that he feared Ali would traffic his daughter for sex:

"Arsalan has a notorious reputation in the neighborhood, and I fear something bad will happen to my child if she is not recovered from his custody. I appeal to the Christian leadership to help me find and save my daughter from exploitation."

On Mar. 31, Easter Sunday, a Muslim man named Muhammad Suleman abducted Kainat Pervaiz, a 16-year-old Christian girl, at gunpoint. He took her to a vacant resident where all through the night, "Kainat endured unimaginable horrors as she was brutally raped multiple times." According to the report:

"The next day, the perpetrator brazenly contacted the girl's father, instructing him to retrieve her from his residence. Despite clear evidence of the assault, confirmed by a Medico Legal Certificate issued by a Government Hospital, the police failed to register an FIR (First Information Report). Shockingly, local authorities did not act to pursue justice."

Instead, according to the father:

"On April 5th, members of the jirga [Pakistani conflict resolution team] forcibly arrived at my residence and coerced me to accompany them to the police station. They threatened to abduct my daughters if I dared to resist."

They coerced him to drop the case in exchange for 50,000 rupees (USD $180) and the proposed marriage of his daughter to her rapist as a form of "compensation." On learning that he could not rely on the authorities for any semblance of justice, he contacted a human rights agency for assistance. Since then, he and his family have received more threats from local supporters of the rapist and were last reported as living in terror. Discussing this case, human rights activist Juliet Chowdhry remarked:

"This appalling incident of kidnapping and rape involved brutal violence and the use of a dangerous weapon. Despite the gravity of the crime, Pakistani police officers attempted to coerce the family into accepting a compromise payment through a jirga, which subsequently pressured them into signing an agreement to forgive the rapist if he married their daughter. This blatant miscarriage of justice, facilitated by both the police and the jirga, highlights the pervasive impunity enjoyed by perpetrators of sexual violence and underscores the urgent need for systemic reform to safeguard the protection and rights of victims. The abysmal conduct of the Pakistani police, particularly in cases involving Christians, has reached a new nadir with this despicable act."

On Apr. 14, a Muslim security officer named Muhammad Abdul Qadir Khan harassed, drugged and coerced a 13-year-old Christian boy named Saim Masih to participate in Muslim prayers, despite the youth's repeated refusals. At one point, Muhammad yanked the boy's cross necklace from around his neck, and hollered, "Stop being a Christian! They are worthless."

The fearful boy protested, "I cannot offer prayer. I am a Christian, and I don't know how to perform a Muslim prayer."

"Don't worry, I will teach you. Accept Islam, and I will give you money and take you with me to Peshawar to show you its green landscape," cajoled Muhammad. According to the report:

"Mr. Khan persisted in his demands, urging Saim to pray, convert to Islam, accept money as a gift, and eat the food he had brought with him. Despite Saim's repeated refusals, Mr. Khan forcefully made him eat some sweets. Siam does not recall what happened after consuming the sweet, but he was later discovered unconscious."

After a frantic search, Masih's family and friends discovered him partially conscious behind a building. Although they questioned Khan, police did not arrest him.

Muslim Attacks on Churches, Crosses, and Other Christian Symbols

Australia: On Apr. 15, a 16-year-old youth of Middle Eastern descent, armed with a knife and crying Islam's war cry, "Allahu akbar!" ("Allah is the greatest!), lunged at and repeatedly stabbed an Orthodox bishop, Mar Mari Emmanuel, as he was delivering a sermon from the pulpit of his church in Sydney. In the scuffle to apprehend the Muslim youth, four other Christians were stabbed. The bishop lost an eye in the attack, which was captured on video as the worship service was livestreaming from the Good Shepherd Church.

In the days after the stabbings, seven other juveniles aged between 15 and 17—who according to police reports adhere to a "religiously motivated violent extremist ideology"—were arrested as part of counter-terrorism raids across southwestern Sydney.

Egypt: On Apr. 23, in al-Fawakhir village, more than 500 Muslims savagely attacked and torched the homes of Christians due to a rumor that a church was to be constructed in the village. According to a report:

"Extremists pelted Coptic homes with stones and chanted [Islamic] slogans [including "Allahu Akbar!"] , setting fire to several houses amidst the screams of women and children. The attack continued for hours before security forces arrived. The magnitude of the fire was such that it could be seen from miles away."

Although in some instances Muslims tried to prevent Christians from escaping these fires, no casualties were reported. Al-Fawakhir, home to several hundred Christian families, has no church, like most villages in Egypt. As a result, a Coptic priest occasionally visits and holds a prayer service in a Christian home. This caused Muslims to launch a false rumor that the home was going to be converted into a permanent church.

Three days later, on April 26 — a Friday, when Muslims are used to hearing sermons whipping them up against "infidels" during mosque prayers — extremists from another village, al-Kom al-Ahmar, attacked its Christian minority for receiving a permit to construct a church. Discussing these attacks, Adel Guindy, co-founder of Coptic Solidarity and author of A Sword Over the Nile, told Gatestone:

"In an all too familiar development in Egypt's countryside, Muslims, who may otherwise be content with a low grade life (e.g., no proper hospitals or public services), go into uncontrollable paroxysms at the mere hint that Christians might get a place to pray in—which in itself is no easy feat, as it requires governmental licensing that takes years or even decades to obtain. After fiery incitements, mobs attack Copts' homes and businesses, all under the watchful eyes of the authorities who are usually, at least in part, complicit. Culprits are seldom, if ever, punished, thus inviting a sickening repeat of the ugly scenario."

United States: On Apr. 6, Alexander Scott Mercurio, an 18-year-old convert to Islam, was arrested for "planning a suicide attack on multiple churches," to be carried out on the following day in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. According to the report, "Law enforcement claims that he was going to attack local places of worship with knives, guns and flames." In the words of FBI Director Christopher Wray,

"The defendant allegedly pledged loyalty to ISIS and sought to attack people attending churches in Idaho, a truly horrific plan which was detected and thwarted by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force."

Germany: On Apr. 12, six Muslim teenagers (two boys and four girls, aged between 13 and 16) were exposed for plotting terror attacks against Christians and churches during Easter, with the hopes of "kill[ing] as many 'infidels' as possible." According to one report,

"[T]he youths wanted to attack 'Christians ('unbelievers') in churches' and 'police officers in police stations' with knives and Molotov cocktails [and, as later revealed, with bombs] in the name of the ISIS. .... [T]he youths were communicating in a common chat group in which they were exchanging plans to attack churches, synagogues, and a local sports club in Iserlohn. Furthermore, the cities Dortmund, Düsseldorf and Cologne were mentioned as possible targets. They were also planning to obtain weapons."

The father of one of the arrested girls had already been under police investigation due to terrorist financing and illegal possession of weapons. During a house search, police found a machete and a dagger, which the girl had planned on using during the terrorist attacks, according to her chat messages.

On Apr. 19, a massive riot broke out in an asylum shelter after some Muslims noticed a resident wearing a cross necklace. According to the report:

"[S]everal residents, who are of Muslim faith, were outraged by the Christian symbol—a riot broke out. When the security service tried to calm the commotion, around 30 residents attacked the reception centre's security staff. The violence escalated in one room of the accommodation centre: Several security staff were attacked and more and more residents joined in. Five migrants from the group attacked with bottles and chairs, and there were also attacks with fists.... [O]ne attacker even pulled out a knife. Several police patrols were deployed to calm the crowd."

On Sunday, Apr. 21, graffiti and trash were found in the St. Mary Chapel in Aachen. Among other things, "Allahu Akbar" was found written on the walls and doors. There were several other attacks on and desecrations of churches (such as here and here).

On Apr. 14 the Passion Trail along the forest path at Tücking, which was set up by the Evangelical Lutheran parish in Hagen-Haspe to commemorate Easter, was found demolished. Once lined with crosses and prayer texts, everything had been destroyed.

Italy: In broad daylight and in front of everyone, an African migrant vandalized a church while praying to Allah and invoking his name. According to the Apr. 21 report,

"'Asylum seeker' with spray can and shouting 'Allah Akbar' has defaced church of Santi Medici in Martano, Italy, and numerous houses with Arabic writings. Italian residents are afraid because this man goes around armed and terrorizes elderly and children. We need mass deportation."

Several other (including arson) attacks and desecration of churches in Italy (here, here, and here) also took place.

Finally, on Apr. 3, a pre-trial detention order was issued against three Muslims of Tunisian background for savagely beating another Tunisian for attending a church. According to the report:

"The investigation developed following the complaints made by the victim, a 28-year-old Tunisian man, a legal immigrant on the national territory, who was attacked on the evening of November 12, 2023. Specifically, the three men, after approaching him and accusing him of 'frequenting the church of Christians,' threatened him and violently beat him with kicks and punches, snatching a [cross?] necklace from him, before he managed to break free and escape. The victim had to be treated in the local hospital.... [T]he victim had undertaken a conversion to Christianity for some months, attending a local parish and participating in some religious celebrations, which was not accepted by his fellow countrymen of Muslim faith."

United Kingdom: On April 3, a British church that offers refugee support services was vandalized — and smeared with dog feces (a not uncommon Muslim tactic against churches). There were also at least three arson attacks on churches (here, here, and here).

France: On Sunday, Apr. 14, five Muslim teenagers of Turkish origin, aged between 15 and 17, barged into the Saint-Etienne Cathedral in Metz and interrupted a concert in progress by shouting "Allahu Akbar!" before fleeing.

Many other churches in France—including another Notre Dame, built in the 1600s in Brigolo—went up in flames throughout April (here, here, here, here, here, and here).

Azerbaijan: According to an Apr. 24 report, St. John the Baptist Church in the Armenian town of Susa (or Shushi), which was built in the 1800s, but came under Azerbaijani control in late 2023, has been destroyed without a trace left:

"[T]he Susa church, which was wrapped in scaffolding through much of its time under Azerbaijani control, was demolished in the winter of 2023-24.... Two kilometers south of the erased church, satellite images released in April reveal that an entire [Christian] village appears to have been razed to the ground. Today a large mosque is under construction in the broken soil where a settlement once stood..."

Lebanon: On Apr. 16, an Orthodox church of St. George near Denniye was vandalized with Islamic slogans, including the shehada, "There is no god but Allah."

Cameroon: During the night of April 2-3, the Mary Queen of Peace sanctuary was desecrated, in the 20% Muslim nation. The vandals destroyed several representations of Mary and Jesus, and totally shattered the 14 Stations of the Cross.

Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West, Sword and Scimitar, Crucified Again, and The Al Qaeda Reader, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.

About this Series

While not all, or even most, Muslims are involved, persecution of Christians by extremists is growing. The report posits that such persecution is not random but rather systematic, and takes place irrespective of language, ethnicity, or location. It includes incidents that take place during, or are reported on, any given month.

Previous reports

• March, 2024
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