The Blaze:
Syrian Catholic priest Francois Murad killed last weekend by jihadi fighters was beheaded, according to a report by Catholic Online which is linking to video purportedly showing the brutal murder.
As TheBlaze reported last week, Murad, 49, was setting up a monastery in Gassanieh, northern Syria. Last Sunday, on the Christian leader’s Sabbath, extremist militants trying to topple President Bashar Assad breached the monastery and grabbed Murad.
While earlier reports suggested Murad may have been shot to death, Catholic Online reported Saturday: “The Vatican is confirming the death by beheading of Franciscan Father, Francois Murad, who was martyred by Syrian jihadists on June 23.”
The Catholic news service quotes local sources who report that the radical Al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra, or Al-Nusra Front, was behind the savage killing.
In video posted by Live Leak purporting to show the execution, dozens of men and boys are seen cheering on as three men are seated on the ground awaiting their grisly fate.
The men are methodically beheaded one at a time by men holding what appears to be a simple kitchen knife after which the heads are placed on top of the bodies.
According to Catholic Online, the first victim was Murad.
A frenzy ensues, with dozens drawing out their smartphones to capture the bloody scene, as a chorus of Allahu Akbar (“Allah is the greatest”) are sung with jihadi rapture. Several observers are seen moving within inches of the bodies in an effort to capture close-up photos.
Catholic Online is raising alarm that western nations are providing support to the rebels who have shown a proclivity toward persecuting Christians:
This should make it clear to Christians around the world what jihadists are about. Make no mistake. Catholics and Christians around the globe are under dire threat, particularly from the spread of militant Islam. Until the threat is recognized and taken seriously, martyrdoms like this will continue.
Vatican Radio reports that Gassanieh, a village with a majority Christian population, had been under attack by Islamist fighters for the past few weeks, forcing most residents to flee for safety.
I hope Obama sends these friends of his some sharp knives and some instructions on beheading. I’ve watched a few of these beheadings; it’s obvious these fanatics use dull knives and have a poor sense of anatomy, making the beheadings unnecessarily cruel acts, but maybe that is their intent.
It’s so nice to know we are now partnered up with homicidal maniacs, who take great pleasure in beheading Christians with dull knives.
We will find no horror at the act from Obama. He purports to be a Christian, yet does everything in his power to destroy Christianity, just like the good little Muslim that he is! I am no Christian, but I would much rather see them prosper over Islam, which seems to be nothing more that a Satanic Cult posing as a Religion of Peace and Love! For our Muslim brethren all I can say is “شهود يهوه هو أكبر !” (which translate Jehovah is the greatest). Although not a Christian, I think throwing the God of the man they executed in their face is some small payback.
Obama has not only offered weapons to the murderers of Christians and secular folks in Syria, he has (through his ambassador) ordered the Christian Copts in Egypt to quit demonstrating against the Morsi gov’t.
Think Coptic Christians are being welcomed here in the USA?
Hardly.
They are heading to Georgia (ex-USSR Georgia, not USA Georgia).
They are heading out but not into the USA.
Obama’s imprisonment of the Copt who did that film he blamed Benghazi on made it clear he has no interest in Christians.
America has a strong Coptic presence – but it was already here – pre-Obama.
WHY do people keep insisting, on going into Countries that both HATE Americans, and are populated with known violent psychopaths? And then, when the Psycho’s well….. ACT PSYCHO, we act SURPRISED!! STAY OUT OF most FOREIGN NATIONS!!
BE SAFE!!
@Hankster58: Good point, perhaps we should take efforts to keep the same psychos out of America as well or is that discriminatory?
If it is discriminatory, we can take pride in being smug enough to let people hate, preach discord, and commit atrocities on our own soil, this is a major aspect of freedom.
Hey, I’m perfectly happy to keep any and all psycho bastards out of the country, and to promptly deport any who have found their way in. For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t be particularly upset if someone had flown a cruise missile square into the middle of the lunatic mob that beheaded Father Murad.
Is that a typically liberal enough reaction for you?
This bullshit isn’t about Obama. Every time you make it about Obama, you make it that much harder for America to respond in a unified fashion. When you politicize such a thing you divide and divert the emotional reaction, and decrease the likelihood of a united will supporting any meaningful responses.
Despicable cowards and cold blooded murderers. It’s high time the Christians there defend themselves and stop running from bullies.
The Catholic Church confirmed this murder today.
No word from Obama about which of his buddies (he wants to arm) did it.
Will Obama go around Congress and give them money or arms …. like he did with the Muslim Brotherhood led Egypt?
@Greg:
Greg, how can Obama separate himself (or how can his followers separate him) from it? He supports the rebels, gives them arms and pushes to enhance their power. We have the examples of Egypt and Libya to show us what we are supporting and condoning. One supports these people at their own risk.
For a group of people who blamed Bush for every miscue that happened (and many that needed to be made up in order to assign blame), you are certainly forgiving and rationalizing about the actions of Mr. Obama.
@bburris:
So do about 80% of the republicans in congress. The only ones you hear speaking out about it are Rand Paul and Ted Cruz. Personal favs of mine.
@bburris, #9:
What we’re most likely doing is supporting specific rebel factions. This would be done in an effort to exert some control over which factions would be in a dominant position in a post-Assad Syria.
Assad is a known evil. His regime probably isn’t going to survive for much longer. Supporting him would align us with Iran’s interests, so that’s not really an option. Aiding no rebel factions at all also makes little sense, because there are almost certainly extremist factions among them receiving support from al Qaeda. That support boosts their power and influence, at the expense of those which could be more moderate. Isn’t it a good idea to try to counter their potential for achieving dominance now, rather than having to deal with it later?
Though I agree with this line of thinking, I’m not overly optimistic about its success. I just think it’s currently the best among a bad lot of choices.
@Greg:
We have no strategic or economic interest in the conflict; there would be no Iran-Syria axis were it not for our support of the rebels of dubious character. When we have a choice between two bad options, perhaps the best choice is to do nothing.
Remember the Iran-Iraq war? No doubt, Obama’s foolish (as long as this is not his plan) backing of more terrorists that hate us will come back to haunt him.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/7-of-9-key-syrian-rebel-fighter-groups-are-islamist/article/2531928
@Aqua:
I doubt it is anywhere near 80%, but that is just as misguided as, beyond any doubt, these weapons will eventually be used against us. However, just one primary point; Obama is President. HE is our representative (sadly) and he is showing the world we are no longer a power.
Who will step up after him to restore the U.S. integrity and prestige HE was supposedly going to restore after Bush? At least Bush exuded strength.
those rebels are crazy, they did behead the PRIEST,
AND THAT IS worse than animal behavior,
they have no moral and they lost their soul a long time ago centuries ago,
they are afflicted with a monstrous brain virus taken from ancestors,
they should never procreate and should be left till extension of the breed,
this is not a religion, this is an anathema