ASIA/SYRIA - The Islamic State shows a video of an Assyrian Christian who "converted" to Islam

Tuesday, 24 March 2015

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Hassaké (Agenzia Fides) - The militants of the Islamic State have spread on the sites under their control, a video documenting the alleged "conversion" to Islam of one of the Assyrian Christian hostages they captured during the offensive carried out by IS in Assyrian villages in the valley of the river Khabour last February. In the video, a man presented as an Assyrian Christian of the village of Tel Temit and identified with the name of Sargon David pronounces the formula of "Shadada" ("There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his prophet") to certify his conversion to Islam.
In the video, which was removed from Youtube, the man says he converted "voluntarily", and calls Christians of Syria to do the same. While one of the jihadists states that "many of them (the Assyrian hostages, ed) have converted to Islam without any pressure from us".
"These forms of propaganda are repugnant, offend the conscience of every man and should provoke rebellion also on behalf of Muslims who have true religious piety" refers to Fides Archbishop Jacques Behnan Hindo, head of the Syrian Catholic archeparchy in Hassaké -Nisibi. "It is obvious - added the Archbishop - that the moral and physical violence on persons held hostage is another manifestation of barbarism in which we have fallen. We pray that the Lord helps and consoles those who suffer in his name". (GV) (Agenzia Fides 24/03/2015)