April 20, 2006:
The war on terror, and Islamic terrorism, has masked the ongoing worldwide conflict between Islamic populations and any non-Moslems in the vicinity. This Islamic violence against non-Moslems has been a problem for centuries, and has only become worse because of the recent increase in Islamic terrorism.
For example, on Friday, April 14th, a Moslem mans armed with two knives, attacked worshippers during mass at two Coptic churches in Alexandria, Egypt. A 78-year-old man was killed, and between five and fifteen others injured before the perpetrator was apprehended, attempting to enter a third church. Although the police described the man as suffering from "psychological disturbances," many Copts reject that assertion, and believe he acted from religious motivations, possibly at the urging of the radical Moslem Brotherhood. Copts are believed to make up about 10-percent of Egypt's population and are subject to considerable harassment by Egypt's Moslem majority. Last fall and again earlier this year there were anti-Copt riots in many Egyptian cities, including church burnings, and the Muslim Brotherhood has openly threatened to kill Coptic Pope Shenouda III.
On Saturday, the 15th, the funeral for the victim turned into a protest, then into a demonstration, and finally into a riot. Coptic rioters broke up Moslem shops and beat several Moslem, at least one of whom subsequently died. The police arrested 15 people, all Copts, and imposed a cordon around the Church of the Saints, one of those attacked on the 14th.
The next day, police found themselves simultaneously battling young Coptic protestors at the Church of the Saints and a Moslem mob trying to break through the cordon to get at the church. Reinforced to a reported 2,000 officers, the police were able to impose calm, after about 45 people were injured and 55 arrested (about 10 Copts and the rest Moslems). The situation remains tense. Police are reportedly on high alert, as Friday the 21st is Good Friday in the Coptic calendar, and Sunday the 23rd will be Easter.
Similar hostility is shown towards Christians throughout the Middle East, in Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq. In Saudi Arabia, Christians are not allowed to openly practice their religion, a prohibition no Moslems suffer from anywhere in the world. Moslem terrorists regularly attack Christians, Hindus and other non-Moslems in Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, India and Indonesia. Islamic radicals affiliated with al Qaeda murder and terrorize Christians in the Philippines. In Africa, Moslems not only attack Christians, but attempt to subject them to Islamic law (Sharia).
This widespread hostility and violence against non-Moslems is sanctioned and encouraged by Moslem clerics, who also praise Islamic terrorists. In this kind of atmosphere, it's no surprise that there are still volunteers for al Qaeda and similar organizations. Most of the violence takes place in countries or provinces where there is a majority Moslem population, and the government is run by Moslems. While Islamic radicals insist the violence is a matter of self-defense against Christian aggression, it's really just the oppression of religious minorities. The Islamic radicals insist that the only authentic Moslems are those that continue to spread Islam by force. They do not see Islam as a religion of peace, and they have many supporters throughout the Moslem world. While many religions go through a phase of expansion by aggression, Islam is the only major religion that still has many believers who still condone this form of violence. Until this faction of the Moslem community settles down, the war on terror won't be over.