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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Christian preacher feared kidnapped in Pakistan |
| 2004-05-16 |
| A Pentecostal preacher was feared kidnapped in Pakistan on Sunday, apparently by an unknown Islamic militant group after he disappeared in the southwestern city of Quetta, his friends and family said. Wilson Fazal, a Pakistani Christian cleric at a local city church, had been receiving threatening letters from an unknown group of Islamists urging him to convert to Islam or face unspecified consequences, his son Jerry told Reuters. Jerry said the latest hand-written letter was delivered to their house five days ago asking Wilson to stop preaching Christianity. The letter was apparently sent by a group calling itself Mahaz-e-Jihad, or "Frontier of the Holy War." "Get ready, ready, ready, or else...," said the letter which had a hand-drawn rifle for a signature at the bottom. Rehmat Niaz, senior superintendent of police in Quetta, said authorities had received a complaint submitted by the family and were investigating. Jerry said Wilson left his home on Sunday morning and failed to return by late evening. "We fear that he has been kidnapped as he was receiving threats in the past," Asia Nasir, a Christian leader and member of the National Assembly, or lower house of parliament, told a news conference. Oliver Zia, another church leader, told the same conference that an attempt to kidnap Fazal was made three days ago by bearded men, but it was foiled and authorities were informed about the incident and police were posted outside his house. He said threats had also been received by other Christians in the area telling them to stop teaching Muslim students. |
| Posted by:TS(vice girl) |
| #2 Sometimes I think talking to snakes has a positive vocational outcome. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-05-16 7:19:08 PM |
| #1 But they keep saying ol' Mo' said there's no compulsion in religion! |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-05-16 6:44:32 PM |