Islamic Suicide Bomber Trainer Accidentally Blows Up His Entire Class

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 25px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a class="magnificPopup" href="http://cdn.jewsnews.co.il/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/bomb-class.gif" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="bomb-class" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-422209" height="342" src="http://cdn.jewsnews.co.il/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/bomb-class.gif" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;" width="659" /></a><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />In Baghdad, a terrorist who was in the middle of conducting a training for future militants, accidentally blew up an entire class, killing 21 of his students, and himself. The group was part of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the terror group that has been participating in a string of attacks in the United States.</span></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 25px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The report stated that the incident may be viewed as a metaphor for the many lives lost in the wake of foreign and domestic terrorists’ relentless attempts to convert the nation into an extreme-religious state. In this turn of events, it appears that many innocent lives may have actually been spared. In fact, in one recent attack alone, 7 innocent people were killed.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 25px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Click like if you are against terrorists</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 25px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to recent reports, it was rumored that the instructor was in the process of showing his students how to use a suicide belt. As he was teaching, the live suicide belt actually detonated, resulting in mass fatalities.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 25px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Watch Video</span></div> <div class="fluid-width-video-wrapper" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 525px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 934px;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" id="fitvid529201" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9nM4bkaLZgI?feature=player_embedded" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; height: 525px; left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 934px;"></iframe></div> <br /> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 25px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> </div>

Islamic Suicide Bomber Trainer Accidentally Blows Up His Entire Class

In Baghdad, a terrorist who was in the middle of conducting a training for future militants, accidentally blew up an entire class, killing...

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Nigerian Military Planes Bombed Gwoza, Limankara Begin Major Operation To Recapture Towns

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">                              <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GqHupw3f2odveFkrVU5nKGbGmrpgruuqR31ZS7thGZ0XAIEgmMcr8rypZRGqx3dw41hMlXPcQjapK9xv53K3s_gYXQvKKJNupo11eVexOwJthUNWOIok6iyoqThhGpMcij_oI0b8A-0/s1600/bh+bombed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GqHupw3f2odveFkrVU5nKGbGmrpgruuqR31ZS7thGZ0XAIEgmMcr8rypZRGqx3dw41hMlXPcQjapK9xv53K3s_gYXQvKKJNupo11eVexOwJthUNWOIok6iyoqThhGpMcij_oI0b8A-0/s1600/bh+bombed.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Nigerian military since August 28, commenced airstrikes against the dreaded Boko Haram sect’s positions in Limankara and Gwoza in Borno State.</span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This is as hundreds of troops also mobilised to the frontline in Gulak, Adamawa State against the insurgents.<br />According to Daily Trust report, a resident of Gwoza, Mamman Madobi, said three military planes were sighted hovering and after a few minutes, they heard sounds of 15 explosions in the direction of Madagali, Limankara and Gwoza.<br />Other residents added that several armoured vehicles were deployed in Gulak between Wednesday and yesterday while military trucks conveyed soldiers to the town.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Army Public Relations Officer, Captain Jafaru Nuhu could not comment on the issue.<br />This is coming barely a week after Boko Haram leader, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="prev" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Abubakar Shekau, released a video claiming to have created an Islamic caliphate in Gwoza</a> which was seized by the insurgents earlier this month.<br />Responding to the Boko Haram’s claims, the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="prev" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Nigerian military described it as ‘empty</a>‘.<br />The town of Gwoza was said to have been seized by the militants and all <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="prev" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">efforts to reclaim the town by the </a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="prev" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">military</a> had proved futile. During the attack on Gwoza, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="prev" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Boko Haram allegedly killed about a 100 people</a>, including the wife of the town’s emir, his brother, and the chief Imam of Gwoza.<br />Several towns have been reportedly seized by Boko Haram. The insurgents have captured Limankara and some areas under Madagali LGA of Adamawa State after assaults on security formations. Other towns which have been captured by Boko Haram in recent times include <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="prev" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Buni Yadi in Yobe State</a> and the<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="prev" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Police  Mobile Training Camp in nearby Limankara village.</a></span></div>

Nigerian Military Planes Bombed Gwoza, Limankara Begin Major Operation To Recapture Towns

                               The Nigerian military since August 28, commenced airstrikes against the dreaded Boko Haram sect’s posit...

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Panic in Abuja over suspected bomb-laden car

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-7196662024388763544" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; orphans: auto; position: relative; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: auto; width: 616px;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozjhUy4Mnb-KS_bCEl2suw3WKtP5-hKfxWuTnpQdTzvhPB9PZgm0cG9sGLYfquPF8rUuoP0Hq8YCDGgTe1ntJOFHN_Vl9QpEW4CZDd7VTE9AOPkguOVuMevwfNuClhL13G1jAwUcD5S4/s1600/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #990000; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozjhUy4Mnb-KS_bCEl2suw3WKtP5-hKfxWuTnpQdTzvhPB9PZgm0cG9sGLYfquPF8rUuoP0Hq8YCDGgTe1ntJOFHN_Vl9QpEW4CZDd7VTE9AOPkguOVuMevwfNuClhL13G1jAwUcD5S4/s1600/0.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(153, 0, 0); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-7196662024388763544" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; orphans: auto; position: relative; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: auto; width: 616px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div> Pandemonium broke out this morning in the Nyanya area of Abuja, after a Peugeot 406 car suspected to be laden with explosives was found parked in the middle of the road, causing motorist & passersby to run in different directions fearing that the car might explode</span></span><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> <div> "The driver just parked the car and left in a hurry prompting soldiers nearby to be suspicious and people in traffic on seeing the soldiers surrounding the car began to run in different directions" A commercial motorcyclist told Premium Times</div> </blockquote> <div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Soldiers are currently carrying out a thorough search of the car</div> <div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </div> </div> </div>

Panic in Abuja over suspected bomb-laden car

Pandemonium broke out this morning in the Nyanya area of Abuja, after a Peugeot 406 car suspected to be laden with explosives was foun...

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U.S donates high tech bomb disposal robots/equipment to Nigerian police

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h2 class="date-header" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; bottom: auto; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px -15px 1px; min-height: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; right: 15px;"> <span style="border-left-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; display: block; padding: 0.5em 15px;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2evYdvmXBCpopZEt0Lpq_tfvqUStET-Y0C7HYY4ATXqPSbGtbZQSbt0SC2ZmazlyrNot7Aw-qOdnx1xRhX1qS18OMEqro_Bv5m8NPsHU47f0kbpCYDsx9Lu8bEHFCG_IJkTfOWT_pCr0/s1600/2.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(153, 0, 0); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px;" width="288" /><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qjuPyTRJqWE8Mckom_ozRcHUGYcay-EofKf8DJ7pGIcZ69A8418WuSB_EwbeAnN2JhEm-uSOro-i-fE1UMxLY_SJo0olwv9TZOhszUqJ7zuSkyCdU_yg3VxvgP9dE9gfQoRvoX8A2zM/s1600/1.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(153, 0, 0); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px;" width="261" /></span></h2> <div class="date-posts" style="border-top-color: transparent; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; clear: both; margin: 0px -15px; padding: 8px 15px 0px;"> <div class="post-outer" style="border-top-style: none; margin: 0px -15px; padding: 0px 15px 10px;"> <div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="min-height: 0px; position: relative;"> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-4955831633761887957" itemprop="description articleBody" style="position: relative; width: 616px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Below is a press release from the Nigerian Police...</span><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP Suleiman Abba NPM, mni, today, August 20, 2014 at Force Headquarters, Abuja, received the US Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, James F. Entwistle.</span></blockquote> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The US Ambassador congratulated the Ag. IGP on his new appointment as the Police Boss and thanked the Nigeria Police Force for its high level of co-operation and huge partnership with the US Embassy in Nigeria.</span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="" name="more"></a></span></blockquote> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsJSNB39pgKsirgCZ8wox7KhQy_PjLulayv9cfeQmnIyKoOVwxk40yxCbT8uqRf1A5hQpm-I86hsr6pmI7e_9d0u0sheopidYt9CK60Ctr2WWnhL_qmdLJE-6GiD_vAZ77CoXzrNAOwOg/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsJSNB39pgKsirgCZ8wox7KhQy_PjLulayv9cfeQmnIyKoOVwxk40yxCbT8uqRf1A5hQpm-I86hsr6pmI7e_9d0u0sheopidYt9CK60Ctr2WWnhL_qmdLJE-6GiD_vAZ77CoXzrNAOwOg/s1600/3.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(153, 0, 0); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Ambassador thereafter presented High tech Bomb disposal robots/equipment to the Nigeria Police Force. He also reassured the Ag. IGP that his country will continue to render relevant supports to the Force in the areas of training and security cooperation.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The IGP, while responding, appreciated the Ambassador’s courtesy visit and thanked the US government for assisting the Nigeria Police Force in areas of investigation, management of scene of crime as well as position of equipment.</span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TMVKV7ePqOR1mc-SoEgXyW4QUcyneH1Fj3zsdMNB0qzAdm8UirNLyRTT1ppA_jilj30UipATYpFyvdFHPvuNaCy4nI5EY2eXDWoOZ6YgGHt62C9VvKvo7fH8N2lIxTwoVeHgBWhjh0E/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TMVKV7ePqOR1mc-SoEgXyW4QUcyneH1Fj3zsdMNB0qzAdm8UirNLyRTT1ppA_jilj30UipATYpFyvdFHPvuNaCy4nI5EY2eXDWoOZ6YgGHt62C9VvKvo7fH8N2lIxTwoVeHgBWhjh0E/s1600/4.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(153, 0, 0); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></span></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Describing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) executed by the Nigeria Police Force and the US government recently as a huge partnership that will improve and modernize Police training in Nigeria, the IGP restated his commitment to continue to drive reforms and transformation of the Force in order to reposition the Force for better service delivery and promised that the newly donated equipment would be put to effective use.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ACP FRANK MBA</b></div> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,</span></div> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">FORCE HEADQUARTERS, Abuja</span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

U.S donates high tech bomb disposal robots/equipment to Nigerian police

Below is a press release from the Nigerian Police... The Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP Suleiman Abba NPM, mni, today, August ...

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Update On Bomb Scare At NAMA, Lagos

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3474647170181431945" itemprop="description articleBody" style="position: relative; width: 1416px;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img border="0" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPOZ1Mjo1qAK9Ne8dYlpyoxOnMhvBUFREySa_YybQ-oZ5Q6aasaWOMnXbuNQE5EbqXD9OUAfiU3EHdV_EVlvnmeYc4LhMXZfWAmjdy_Py4Amp5u3V_jvvqiRNOamx9Wf8fe-DPF-BrAk/s640/Suspect-at-NAMA.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 20px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 20px; padding: 8px;" width="640" /></span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><div class="nrelate nrelate_related nr_clear" id="nrelate_related_1" style="-webkit-box-shadow: none; -webkit-transform: none; background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 0px; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 5px 1px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3474647170181431945" itemprop="description articleBody" style="position: relative; width: 1416px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Earlier on, we brought you a report of the arrest of a man suspected to be a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group; and we also promised to bring you more reports.</span><div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to latest reports reaching us, the man, who is a handicap was arrested by <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">security</span> operatives and handed over to the <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD5">Airport Police</span> headquarters along the Ikeja- Airport road.</span></div> <span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more" style="text-decoration: none;"></a>While reacting to the incidence, Mr Supo Atobatele, General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigerian Airspace Management Authority, NAMA, revealed how the suspect was caught. <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD11">Continue</span> reading:</span></span><div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The attention of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency ,NAMA, has been drawn to insinuations that a suspected suicide bomber was arrested at one of the agency’s facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Monday.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The basic truth however, is that the said suspect was on the ground <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD1">making phone calls</span> along the airport road close to CENTREX, an annex office of NAMA when the agency’s security personnel accosted him and questioned  his presence.”<a href="" name="more"></a></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“His incoherent explanation exposed him to the security personnel who later found on him some devices suspected to be explosives. He was subsequently handed over to the Airport Police Command for further investigation.”</span></div> <div class="nrelate nrelate_related nr_clear" id="nrelate_related_2" style="-webkit-box-shadow: none; -webkit-transform: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 0px; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 5px 1px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div style="clear: both;"> </div> <div class="nrelate nrelate_related nr_clear nrelate_default nr_110 nr_1row widget_id_0 nr_setup" id="nrelate_related_0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: none; -webkit-transform: none; background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 0px; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 5px 1px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <h3 class="nr_title" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px; min-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; position: relative;"> </h3> </div> <div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><br />Read More: <a href="http://kevindjakpor.blogspot.com/2014/08/update-on-bomb-scare-at-nama.html#ixzz3AmwHocPT" style="text-decoration: none;">http://kevindjakpor.blogspot.com/2014/08/update-on-bomb-scare-at-nama.html#ixzz3AmwHocPT</a><br />Follow us: <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=cqsi12R0Gr46eFacwqm_6l&u=kevindjakpor" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@kevindjakpor on Twitter</a> | <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=cqsi12R0Gr46eFacwqm_6l&u=KevinDjakporBlog" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">KevinDjakporBlog on Facebook</a></span></div> </div>

Update On Bomb Scare At NAMA, Lagos

  Earlier on, we brought you a report of the arrest of a man suspected to be a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group; and we also...

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Could you survive as a Christian living in Gwoza, Chibok in Nigeria or Iraq, right now?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border: none; color: black; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 20px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; width: 638px;"><tbody> <tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" width="638"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;">So much happened and is still happening in North East Nigeria but just a little is being reported. Interestingly, the only report we get is about how many have been killed by Boko Haram terrorists or the number of these terrorists that have been killed by Nigerian Soldiers. In nearly all the report, there seem to be a connivance among the media to consciously forget the primary target of these Islamic terrorists. They have sisd it time without number, though we all choose to pretend about it, that Christians are their primary target. On several occasions they have commanded some Christians to deny Christianity failing which results in brutal killing.<br /><br />Like the Christians in North Eastern Nigeria so are the Christians in Mosul, Irbil etc and the Yazidi sect, in Iraq. From what is going on right now, I am constantly jealous that the threats and killings of the Yazidis was what kicked the World out of sleep. It seems that the World did not and are not considering the lives of the Christians, viciously killed by the Islamic State, right there in Mosul and other places. While these  Christians lives were being killed and forced out of their communities, forced to deny Christianity, no threat came from anywhere. No military intervention, no Aids droppings, nothing.<br /><br />The case of Christians in Iraq is even nothing to be compared with the plight of Christians in North East Nigeria. We all know that, before the wicked Islamic State wickedness began, Boko Haram terrorists have been killing Christians in Nigeria. Did you hear the sound of planes coming to drop Aids for these wickedly and viciously killed Christians? Not even a mention! The World left everything for Nigeria to handle. Several of these Christians were beheaded, burnt to death, shot dead inside their places of worship, bombed while having service and so on. All the World did was to condemn these devilish actions. While they continue to tell anyone that cares to listen that their primary goal is to Islamize the whole of a northern Nigeria, many laugh it off.<br /><br />Today, many of these Christians in Northern Nigeria are in caves, eating wild fruits and battling with dangerous animals. They have been forced out of their homes, places of worship, farms and their very lives and yet the world seem not to consider them for Aids droppings neither do Nigeria qualify to be given a hand, without unnecessary conditionalities, so as to battle these terrorists to a standstill.<br /><br />The worst is that I am yet to hear from the world acclaimed human right movements. I must say here that, it is complete hypocrisy for these people to campaign against the falling of trees and the killing of animals and fishes in the waters but yet lend no loud voice to the condemnable vicious acts of devilish wickedness against Christians in North Eastern Nigeria and in Iraq.<br /><br />Well, whether in Iraq or in Nigeria, Christians are Christians and lives are lives! Let the World speak up or forever keep Quiet in every other thing happening anywhere in the world!<br /><br />Below is details of the happening in Iraq.<br /><a href="http://lists.catholic.org/link.php?URL=aHR0cDovL3ljdmYub3JnL2NvbGxlY3Rpb25zL2VtZXJnZW5jeS1yZXNwb25zZS9wcm9kdWN0cy9lbWVyZ2VuY3ktZnVuZC1zYXZlLWlyYXFpLWNocmlzdGlhbnM=&Name=&EncryptedMemberID=MTIxNTE3NjQ3Njg%3D&CampaignID=5561&CampaignStatisticsID=14987&Demo=0&Email=c2VsZmxlc3NoZWFydHNuZ0BnbWFpbC5jb20=" shape="rect" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" target="_blank"><img border="0" hspace="0" name="147df28016686283_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.19" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhkGt8UKIfIF1WENYE4OuQ0Xw8ND4jbRbI6bszZd7k9XP5nWef2m0fEHlke74xlUENKsuthIocoqFtiJjpJQAjXy_OzCfJzlQhQuN_VqHuuIP8bymh2c_noUHnUBX5vwWJBKsrRME4yeb9qINwksejeIIZ3Xdx2_vnjI4owVVT-_aktLLM=s0-d-e1-ft" style="border: none; display: block; max-width: 100%;" vspace="0" width="638" /></a></span></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The mark of death for Christians.</span></span></td></tr> </tbody></table> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There's a red mark on your door. In dripping blood-red paint, it's been marked with the Arabic letter N, a monogram for Christians. It's a mark of death, a warning. You have 24 hours to flee, leaving everything behind. No food or water, no vehicle, no money, nothing is allowed to you. </span><br /> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br />To stay means death. You've heard the stories. Children beheaded, their heads displayed in a public park in Mosul. Women and girls raped and enslaved. Even those who pay the tax for being Christian have still had their family kidnapped, their wives raped and their livelihoods confiscated. The only option is to flee on foot.<br /></span><br /> <table style="border: none; margin: 5px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; width: 608px;"><tbody> <tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" width="608"><a href="http://lists.catholic.org/link.php?URL=aHR0cDovL3ljdmYub3JnL2NvbGxlY3Rpb25zL2VtZXJnZW5jeS1yZXNwb25zZS9wcm9kdWN0cy9lbWVyZ2VuY3ktZnVuZC1zYXZlLWlyYXFpLWNocmlzdGlhbnM=&Name=&EncryptedMemberID=MTIxNTE3NjQ3Njg%3D&CampaignID=5561&CampaignStatisticsID=14987&Demo=0&Email=c2VsZmxlc3NoZWFydHNuZ0BnbWFpbC5jb20=" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" hspace="0" name="147df28016686283_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.20" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhvCYUj_uqRC-_mRK3hiI_rnN46y8Pa7mhGZE8TTn0WtDqKY6ZCM02BLqBe0X4DWTjN6quqjwuySi1FA4VFdUnvXZVYfgYxi3M2uia4LtndFP0ZKJSMhQf-XqniFH63IBy994wiDIfDTVHkBweiysRhV-AvG7jUmEp8q_qE8m5CvZCN5Ys=s0-d-e1-ft" style="border: none;" vspace="0" width="598" /></span></a></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Christians flee as ISIS terrorists close in to kill. Not all of them will make it.</span></td></tr> </tbody></table> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><br />At a border checkpoint, your family is aggressively searched for hidden money and jewelry. A woman shrieks in pain as her finger is cut off because in her panic she could not remove the ring. In front of you, a child's favorite toy is stripped from his tiny hands, as if the Islamic State needed it.<br /><br />You know your home, heard-earned and well-kept, will be given as a reward to a terrorist fighter and his family along with all your possessions inside.<br /><br />These thoughts weigh on your mind as you are forced to walk in the grueling 120 degree summertime heat of the unrelenting Iraqi desert. You have nothing but the clothes on your back. Nobody is coming to rescue you as your lips crack with dryness.<br /></span><br /> <table style="border: none; margin: 5px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; width: 608px;"><tbody> <tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" width="608"><a href="http://lists.catholic.org/link.php?URL=aHR0cDovL3ljdmYub3JnL2NvbGxlY3Rpb25zL2VtZXJnZW5jeS1yZXNwb25zZS9wcm9kdWN0cy9lbWVyZ2VuY3ktZnVuZC1zYXZlLWlyYXFpLWNocmlzdGlhbnM=&Name=&EncryptedMemberID=MTIxNTE3NjQ3Njg%3D&CampaignID=5561&CampaignStatisticsID=14987&Demo=0&Email=c2VsZmxlc3NoZWFydHNuZ0BnbWFpbC5jb20=" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" hspace="0" name="147df28016686283_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiYpLhySZj3b9qDjpHPfsIFvMNDR5NQCo64uQxI7Lxwp3F7VRfR2vsSGYbV7OnwvC-UgELAkgdSXt984O12QtdlgGMJovvXSs36E4Kr__lbQg5bJ_CfLWlwMap5-2vqcJ8lHQ2GJ1y2z5nJ5DxByxTnwWPTo2IxrjM6NfOedC5dbpnQf-g=s0-d-e1-ft" style="border: none;" vspace="0" width="598" /></span></a></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The odds of survival in the desert are poor, especially for the elderly and young.</span></td></tr> </tbody></table> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><br />You watch as the elderly collapse at the side of the road, family wailing because if they don't keep moving, roving bands of Islamic State terrorists will kill them family for sport. Grandparents are left to die from exhaustion, or at the hands of gleeful terrorists.<br /><br />If you're lucky, you might make it to a city that will take you in, but then you're likely to be shuttled to a refugee camp where all you can do is wait - a virtual prison sentence with heat and hunger for bars.<br /></span><br /> <table style="border: none; margin: 5px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; width: 608px;"><tbody> <tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" width="608"><a href="http://lists.catholic.org/link.php?URL=aHR0cDovL3ljdmYub3JnL2NvbGxlY3Rpb25zL2VtZXJnZW5jeS1yZXNwb25zZS9wcm9kdWN0cy9lbWVyZ2VuY3ktZnVuZC1zYXZlLWlyYXFpLWNocmlzdGlhbnM=&Name=&EncryptedMemberID=MTIxNTE3NjQ3Njg%3D&CampaignID=5561&CampaignStatisticsID=14987&Demo=0&Email=c2VsZmxlc3NoZWFydHNuZ0BnbWFpbC5jb20=" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" hspace="0" name="147df28016686283_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.22" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgqMYKaCUJoLxGUbu2hTfgu8Lz7eg8mO1OrPQ7ekF6yKUM31K-v4IuTy58fN3e8qQV1-z5cQNbH3rrk1e8ZYvG7rE4nff8Oq7qlG_-gzAuwmz9FQJVOZC9CCCAzvRSpOs9-tVZKPE6ktt7tjFYzca3I1MK7idyB3vF-w6bMj565bqnTe5M=s0-d-e1-ft" style="border: none;" vspace="0" width="598" /></span></a></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For Iraqi Christians, this is what good luck looks like. Could you imagine living like this?<br />Could you imagine this being your child?</span></td></tr> </tbody></table> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><br />The unlucky are trapped on mountains of death, surrounded by another band of Islamic State fighters who think you should die instead of leave. For those people, trapped on a mountainside without food, water, medicine or the ability to flee, all you can do is wait for a slow death by exposure and starvation.<br /><br />The children are the first to die, especially the babies.<br /></span><br /> <table style="border: none; margin: 5px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; width: 608px;"><tbody> <tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" width="608"><a href="http://lists.catholic.org/link.php?URL=aHR0cDovL3ljdmYub3JnL2NvbGxlY3Rpb25zL2VtZXJnZW5jeS1yZXNwb25zZS9wcm9kdWN0cy9lbWVyZ2VuY3ktZnVuZC1zYXZlLWlyYXFpLWNocmlzdGlhbnM=&Name=&EncryptedMemberID=MTIxNTE3NjQ3Njg%3D&CampaignID=5561&CampaignStatisticsID=14987&Demo=0&Email=c2VsZmxlc3NoZWFydHNuZ0BnbWFpbC5jb20=" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" hspace="0" name="147df28016686283_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.23" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgBdenfjB4KRGS4v5uZIX5J0eEMjbExQVur910K8v-VCSl9AJGZpDe6pS5xIJs5zeEzGIuq3wkNEU73a8AO4ddn2r4UTbE68yR_Gh62RT3DK62bLTloY0Uy3coC5kIH6rGUS1r08BIpcqEU6pn61s0cJ5Q3K6lVDQUL8dbtxKFRuwbz4pQ=s0-d-e1-ft" style="border: none;" vspace="0" width="598" /></span></a></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Many children have died in the desert. Many more are expected to die in the weeks to come.</span></td></tr> </tbody></table> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This is not a work of fiction. This is real. This is happening right now. The only way you can help is to act now. Tomorrow will not be too late, IT IS TOO LATE. DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW!</span><br /> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You can write to: selflessheartsng@gmail.com for enquiries on how you can help.</span></div>

Could you survive as a Christian living in Gwoza, Chibok in Nigeria or Iraq, right now?

So much happened and is still happening in North East Nigeria but just a little is being reported. Interestingly, the only report we get i...

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Col. Umar opens up on Buhari: • How FG saved ex-Head of State from assassination

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/State-Col-Abubakar-Umar.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Col. Umar opens up on Buhari"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="State-Col-Abubakar-Umar" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/State-Col-Abubakar-Umar-700x336.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Col. Umar opens up on Buhari" width="700" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></h1> <a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=74385#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="fa fa-comments-o" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></span> </span></span></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=74385#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=74385#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=74385#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=74385#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=74385#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=74385#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar rtd.</a></header><div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Former Governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (retd) has revealed how the Federal Government saved former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari from being killed in a bomb explosion involving the chieftain of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) last week in Kaduna.In a statement issued yesterday, Colonel Umar said the bomber would have killed Buhari if not for the security that the Federal Government had beefed up around the former Head of State some days before the bomb attacks because of his (Buhari) comment on how to solve insurgency crisis.The former governor of Kaduna State said it was worrisome  and unkind for Buhari’s supporters to begin to accuse the Federal Government of wanting to kill him through bomb blast, stressing that such allegations could have negative effect on  peace and unity of the country, “which is currently under severe stress”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Colonel Umar said: “When about four months ago, General Muhammadu Buhari issued a statement condemning the activities of Boko Haram, the Presidency praised him for what it saw as an act of courage and statesmanship.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Some of us agreed and welcomed this reaction particularly because it would have the positive effect of building the much-needed consensus in the war against insurgency. We were also delighted by General Buhari’s action because it provided another evidence, if any was needed, that he was not a religious bigot, and like most northerners, did not share or support any terrorist religious ideology.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“However, fearing the usual Boko Haram’s reprisal, we advised the Federal Government to beef up security around the General. The FG agreed and reached out to General Buhari with this proposal. By mutual consent, his security was upgraded. I have no doubt that this must have contributed to his survival of the attack.</span></div> <div> <br /></div> </div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The point then is, how can a government that is intent on assassinating the General provide him with added security? It would have been most strange indeed for a government planning to assassinate this very popular northern icon to retain as its National Security Adviser, Colonel M.S.Dasuki, son of the Sultan of Sokoto and his brother-in –law, General Aliyu Gusau as its Minister of Defence, or even its Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar from Zamfara State.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Not entirely satisfied with what was published from my earlier press release, I decided to discuss this issue with my friend and brother, Basorun Akin Osuntokun. He offered to carry some of the details in his <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thisday</i> Friday column-which he did.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I have since learned that the bullet proof vehicle in which General Buhari was riding at the time of the attack, was provided to him by an APC chieftain, possibly an APC governor. My reaction to this is that it does not detract from the fact that the Federal Government indeed reinforced the General’s security about four months ago. Bullet proof vehicle is only a component of the security infrastructure. General Buhari himself was reported to have told Sahara TV “I am not bothered by them (Boko Haram) targeting me. The government has given me adequate protection.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“When on Wednesday, July 23, 2014 some yet to be identified persons attacked the convoy of General Muhammadu Buhari with a car bomb, some of his supporters or his representatives as one of them claimed on BBC radio Hausa service accused the Federal Government of complicity. This was even before investigations commenced. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I was concerned and worried by possible dangerous repercussions of such allegations on the peace and unity of the country, which is currently under severe stress. I therefore, decided not only to condemn their actions, but also to adduce evidence to counter their wrong and preposterous allegations. Unfortunately my press statement, which was published, did not entirely include most of the points I raised in my rebuttal. To avoid misrepresentation and misunderstanding, I find it necessary to issue this clarification.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Once again, I appeal to our political elite to desist from politics of brinkmanship all aimed at achieving their narrow political interests. They need not be reminded that a violent disintegration of Nigeria would be an ill wind that will blow nobody any good, as my brother Akin would say,”  Col. Umar said.</span></div> </div>

Col. Umar opens up on Buhari: • How FG saved ex-Head of State from assassination

  Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar rtd. Former Governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (retd) has revealed how the Federal...

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Something is happening in the spirit realm and God help us not to just know it but to do something about our lives

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="inline-content inline-photo" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 20px;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px 0px 0.45em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">After leveling Iraq’s Tomb of Jonah, the Islamic State could destroy ‘anything in the Bible’</span></span></h1> <div class="left social-tools-wrapper" style="float: left;"> <ul class="social-tools inline top" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 5px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px;"> <li class="first tool facebook" style="border: 1px solid rgb(213, 213, 213); cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 30px -4px; padding: 0.8em 1.3em;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/25/after-leveling-iraqs-tomb-of-jonah-the-islamic-state-could-destroy-anything-in-the-bible/?tid=pm_national_pop#" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="fa fa-facebook-square" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); display: inline-block;"></span></a></li> </ul> </div> <br /> <article><div class="inline-content inline-video" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 20px;"> <div class="posttv-video-embed" data-processed="1" data-uuid="ba9f429c-1396-11e4-ac56-773e54a65906" style="height: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 56.25% !important; position: relative;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/c/embed/ba9f429c-1396-11e4-ac56-773e54a65906?e=null" style="height: 356px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 599px;"></iframe><em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></em></div> <div class="posttv-video-embed" data-processed="1" data-uuid="ba9f429c-1396-11e4-ac56-773e54a65906" style="height: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 56.25% !important; position: relative;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Video of the destruction of the Tomb of Jonah, also known as the Mosque of Jonah, by the Islamic State. </span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jonah’s main appearance in the Old Testament is short, but none too sweet.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As recounted in the Book of Jonah, God asked Jonah to preach. Not thinking himself cut out for the evangelizing game, Jonah ran away to sea.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But then Yahweh sent a great storm. When Jonah’s shipmates found out he was running from the Man Upstairs, they regretfully threw him overboard. Rather than let Jonah drown, God sent a great fish (or a whale, depending on the translation) to swallow him and — yuck — vomit him on dry land. Once saved, Jonah did preach to the people — but then got angry with God when He spared the wicked.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The end.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But as reluctant a prophet as Jonah was, his purported tomb in Mosul, Iraq, is a holy site for Muslims – even though it’s not likely the final resting place of a man purported to live in a fish’s tummy for three days. Instead, wrote Columbia University Near Eastern history PhD student <a href="http://gatesofnineveh.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/what-is-the-tomb-of-the-prophet-jonah/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">Christopher Jones</a>, the tomb is a sacred place “to meditate on the questions raised by the story of Jonah: questions of justice, obedience, providence, fairness and divine mercy.”</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Until this month, when it was destroyed by the Islamic State.</span></div> <div class="inline-content inline-photo" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin: 20px 0px; padding: 20px 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img class="" data-hi-res-src="http://img.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2014/07/04329142.jpg" data-low-res-src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=http://img.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2014/07/04329142.jpg&w=480" src="http://img.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2014/07/04329142.jpg" style="border: 0px; width: 599px;" /><br /><span class="pb-caption">Iraqis inspect the wreckage of the grave of the Nebi Yunus, or the prophet Jonah, in Mosul, Iraq, on July 24, 2014. (EPA)</span></span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/iraq-jihadists-blow-jonahs-tomb-mosul-official-220531959.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">Agence France-Presse</a> confirmed rumors of the tomb’s fate with an Iraqi official. The official said Islamic State forces closed the mosque and took an hour wiring it with explosive charges. Then:</span></span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Boom.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jonah’s tomb “has been turned to dust,” the official said.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Islamic State isn’t new to this. As it establishes a caliphate to spread its ultraconservative faith, it’s destroyed cultural artifacts including Sunni, Shia and Sufi sites, <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/isis-destroys-shiite-mosques-and-shrines-iraq-257683" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">according to Newsweek</a>, and replaced the crosses on Mosul’s Syrian Orthodox cathedral with black flags.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Why?</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It indicates they are going for total eradication not just of their enemies but even of the possibility of people living together under their rule,” Sam Hardy, a professor at the American University of Rome and author of the blog <a href="http://conflictantiquities.wordpress.com/about-contact-employ/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">Conflict Antiquities</a>, told The Washington Post in a phone interview.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Sometimes the practitioners of a new religion feel compelled to recognize a place as sacred, and develop their own reasons to continue to venerate it,”<a href="http://gatesofnineveh.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/what-is-the-tomb-of-the-prophet-jonah/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">Jones wrote</a>. “Other times, they choose to demonstrate the superiority of their own religion over other belief systems by destroying their sacred spaces and building their own in their place.”</span></div> <div class="inline-content inline-photo-right" style="border: 0px none; clear: right; float: right; margin: 0.5em 0px 10px 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 300px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="A combination photo of the 55-metre-high Buddha statue in Bamiyan, central Afghanistan in December 18, 1997 (left) and after its destruction on March 26, 2001. It has been ten years since the statue was destroyed by the Taliban on March 2, 2001. REUTERS/Muzammil Pasha, Sayed Salahuddin/Files (AFGHANISTAN - Tags: RELIGION POLITICS ANNIVERSARY)" src="http://img.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2014/07/BUDDHAS01_1299357901_14_0_1592758172-300x227.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: auto;" /><br /><span class="pb-caption">Left: the 55-metre-high Buddha statue in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, on Dec. 18, 1997. Right: After its destruction on March 26, 2001. (REUTERS/Muzammil Pasha, Sayed Salahuddin)</span></span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Of course, governments and religions have destroyed antiquities since, well, antiquity. Romans destroyed Jerusalem’s Second Temple not long after Christ. During the Crusades, Christians destroyed mosques. The Nazis destroyed <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/24/tired-of-selling-guns-and-drugs-try-art-theft-the-third-most-profitable-criminal-endeavor/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">degenerate art</a>. And the Taliban destroyed the<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/28/AR2011022803105.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">Bamiyan Buddhas in 2001</a>.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The problem: In Iraq, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/in-northern-iraq-gains-by-islamic-state-threaten-centuries-old-christian-town/2014/07/19/7088f3b6-0f53-11e4-8c9a-923ecc0c7d23_story.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">the Islamic State is advancing.</a> If it’s willing to destroy anything other religions — even other Muslims — hold sacred, what’s next?</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Basically pretty much anything in the Bible,” Hardy said.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What can be done?</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“If we didn’t intervene when they were killing people, it would be kind of grotesque to intervene over a building,” Hardy said.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Perhaps the Islamic State will stop on its own?</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“You think tactically they’d avoid provoking enemies,” Hardy said, but Islamic State forces “seem happy to do that. Possibly they are doing stuff to get media attention.”</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mission accomplished.</span></div> </article><br /> <div class="post-body-sig-line" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 20px;"> <span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/justin-moyer" style="text-decoration: none;"></a></span></span></div> <h1 style="margin: 0px 0px 0.45em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-size: large;">In northern Iraq, gains by Islamic State threaten centuries-old Christian town</span></span></h1> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> </div> <div class="left social-tools-wrapper" style="float: left;"> <ul class="social-tools inline top" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 5px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px;"> <li class="first tool facebook" style="border: 1px solid rgb(213, 213, 213); cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 30px -4px; padding: 0.8em 1.3em;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/in-northern-iraq-gains-by-islamic-state-threaten-centuries-old-christian-town/2014/07/19/7088f3b6-0f53-11e4-8c9a-923ecc0c7d23_story.html#" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="fa fa-facebook-square" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); display: inline-block;"></span></a></li> </ul> </div> <br /> <h2 class="deck" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: auto;"> <div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 0px;"> </div> </div> </h2> <div class="inline-content inline-video" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 20px;"> <div class="posttv-video-embed" data-processed="1" data-uuid="889e8220-104a-11e4-ac56-773e54a65906" style="height: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 56.25% !important; position: relative;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/c/embed/889e8220-104a-11e4-ac56-773e54a65906?e=null" style="height: 356px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 599px;"></iframe></div> <div class="inline-video-caption" style="margin: 4px 0px 0px;"> <span class="pb-caption" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hundreds of Christians are driven out of Mosul after being issued an ultimatum by Islamic State fighters to either convert to Islam pay a religious tax, or face the sword. (Reuters)</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #333333; font-family: FranklinITCProLight, HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> <span class="pb-caption" style="color: #6e6e6e; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="dateline">BAKHDIDA, Iraq —</span> In the center of this hardscrabble Christian town there’s a 12th-century church where visitors can peer into an underground passageway that once allowed the faithful to hide from Muslim marauders.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The tunnels below have since crumbled, but the threat still looms on northern Iraq’s surrounding plains.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When advancing Islamic State militants launched mortar attacks in late June, nearly all of Bakhdida’s 50,000 residents <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/iraqi-christians-seek-safety-with-kurds-as-thousands-flee-isils-advance/article19346793/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">fled overland</a> to Irbil, the capital of the Iraqi region of Kurdistan, for protection. Were it not for Kurdish pesh merga forces that swept in to beat back the onslaught, this historic Christian enclave, known to locals as Qaraqosh, would be deserted.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In recent days, most people have come back to their homes. But dire water and fuel shortages, electrical blackouts and a lack of work are strangling returnees who must also grapple with the mental strain of living within firing range of al-Qaeda-inspired Sunni jihadists.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">With Iraq at risk of fracturing along sectarian fault lines, local leaders fear the loss of one of the world’s oldest Christian communities and its heritage as more and more residents move to Kurdish cities and neighboring countries. On Friday, the exodus was accelerated when the Islamic State<a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/iraq-christians-told-convert-face-death-2014718111040982432.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">decreed</a> that Christian holdouts in the city of Mosul must convert to Islam or pay a special tax — with death as a “last resort.’’</span></div> <div class="inline-content inline-video" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin: 20px 0px; padding: 20px 0px;"> <div class="posttv-video-embed" data-processed="1" data-uuid="d928b990-0f5f-11e4-b0dd-edc009ac1f9d" style="height: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 56.25% !important; position: relative;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/c/embed/d928b990-0f5f-11e4-b0dd-edc009ac1f9d?e=null" style="height: 356px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 599px;"></iframe></div> <div class="inline-video-caption" style="margin: 4px 0px 0px;"> <span class="pb-caption" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Five car bombs kill at least 26 people in mainly Shi'ite districts of Baghdad on Saturday. Sunni insurgents are within striking distance of Baghdad. (Reuters)</span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Bags are packed; people are leaving for good because it’s almost impossible to live here right now,” said Louis Marcus Ayub, 54, a Syrian Catholic member of the Bakhdida city council. “If there is no political solution, we’re in danger of disappearing.”</span></div> <div class="wp-inline-bb pb-centered-bb has-subscribe-promo" id="slug_inline_bb" style="background-position: 123px -398px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; clear: both; float: none !important; height: 250px; margin: -20px auto 30px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 300px;"> <div id="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world_6__container__" style="border: 0pt none;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><iframe frameborder="0" height="250" id="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world_6" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world_6" scrolling="no" style="border-width: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 300px;" width="300"></iframe></span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Iraqi Christians have endured greater <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2010/11/24/november-26-2010-disappearing-christians-of-iraq/7568/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">persecution</a> since the 2003 U.S. invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. In the sectarian conflict that followed, a surge of harassment, church bombings and other deadly attacks caused the population to shrink from 1.5 million to about 400,000.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In 2008, a <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95343489" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">wave of violence</a> targeted Christians living in Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city and an ancient hub of Christianity in the region. Without a militia of their own, thousands found safe haven in Bakhdida, about 19 miles to the southeast.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When Islamic State militants staged a lightning attack June 10 on Mosul and took over the city, fresh waves of Christians fled to Bakhdida; only this time, militants stayed on their heels. In less than 48 hours, a flurry of mortar rounds and stories of kidnapping and murder of their co-religionists in Syria combined to empty the town.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“They want to kill us,” said Martin Jameel, 25, a shopkeeper who had just come back from Ainkawa, a Christian suburb of Irbil full of displaced families, to check on his goods. “We have no oil, no weapons. We are not Muslims, so they think we are enemies.”</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Syrian Catholic Archbishop of Mosul, Yohannna Petros Mouche, was one of the few who stayed behind. He understood that many families had left “to lead dignified lives,” but he’s resolved not to go.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“If we all leave, it sends the message that there is nowhere safe for Christians to live in Iraq — and this worries me,” he said, gripping the pewter cross that hung heavy from his neck.</span></div> <div class="wp-inline-bb pb-centered-bb has-subscribe-promo" id="slug_inline_bb_2" style="background-position: 123px -398px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; clear: both; float: none !important; margin: -20px auto 30px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 300px;"> <div id="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world_10__container__" style="border: 0pt none;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><iframe frameborder="0" height="250" id="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world_10" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world_10" scrolling="no" style="border-width: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 300px;" width="300"></iframe></span></div> </div> <div class="inline-content inline-graphic" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin: 20px 0px; padding: 20px 0px;"> <span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/world/map-how-isis-is-carving-out-a-new-country/1095/" style="text-decoration: none;"><img class="" data-hi-res-src="http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_1484w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2014/07/03/National-Enterprise/Graphics/w-isis-Iraq-Syria_7-2-14_promo.jpg?uuid=ZXqcLAMFEeSGbpQiagK8jQ" data-low-res-src="http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_400w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2014/07/03/National-Enterprise/Graphics/w-isis-Iraq-Syria_7-2-14_promo.jpg?uuid=ZXqcLAMFEeSGbpQiagK8jQ" src="http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_1484w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2014/07/03/National-Enterprise/Graphics/w-isis-Iraq-Syria_7-2-14_promo.jpg?uuid=ZXqcLAMFEeSGbpQiagK8jQ" style="border: 0px; width: 599px;" /></a><br /><span class="pb-caption">How ISIS is carving out a new country</span></span></span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I’m not a vagabond. This is my home, and I will die here if necessary.”</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The seminary he overseas in Bakhdida had already become a way station for 35 Christian families and clergy from Mosul. According to Father Amanoel Adel Kalloo, one of the displaced, the city’s Christian community has plunged from about 3,000 to between 200 to 300 since the Islamic State takeover.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On two trips back to the city to collect belongings, he saw that the homes of religious leaders had been ransacked and taken over by militants, he said.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Muslims renting property from Christians have been ordered to pay the Islamic State instead, and employers have been told to lay off all Christian workers. For the first time in 1,600 years, there is no Sunday Mass.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">While lives have so far been spared, Kalloo said the early July disappearance of two women who ran an orphanage, along with three children under their care, has stoked anxieties. He believes the rebel group was behind the abduction, but no one has yet received any information on their condition or whereabouts.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In Bakhdida, residents are grateful to Kurdish forces that have established a security perimeter around the city, allowing some breathing room for people to return. The Kurds have since outfitted a local Christian “protection committee” with bulletproof vests and assault rifles to patrol the streets.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">No hostilities have been exchanged in more than two weeks, but if Islamic State militants go on the offensive again, “we will defend them [the Christians] until the last drop of blood,” vowed Capt. Mohammad Kamal Nader, a pesh merga officer in charge of the security at the town’s main checkpoint. “It is our duty.”</span></div> <div class="wp-inline-bb pb-centered-bb has-subscribe-promo" id="slug_inline_bb_3" style="background-position: 123px -398px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; clear: both; float: none !important; margin: -20px auto 30px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 300px;"> <div id="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world_9__container__" style="border: 0pt none;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><iframe frameborder="0" height="250" id="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world_9" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world_9" scrolling="no" style="border-width: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 300px;" width="300"></iframe></span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For now, the overwhelming concern is water. Area taps have run dry since the Islamic State took Mosul and cut off the town’s Tigris River water supply amid 100-degree-plus temperatures.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">All water now has to be trucked in from outside at great expense.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Adding to people’s woes are electricity blackouts for the better part of each day. The main hospital is short of doctors who have stopped coming from Mosul. And without funds to pay town employees, heaps of garbage are piling up along sidewalks that remain largely empty throughout the day.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Bashar Toma, a 50-year-old mason, was among those preparing to leave. Last month, a pair of Islamic State mortars crashed onto the roof of the six-bedroom home Toma had painstakingly built to accommodate his children.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He thanked God that no one was hurt. But the constant psychological stress of living less than three miles from an aggressive and well-armed rebel force — whose forward positions are visible from his roof — has become too much to bear for the lifelong resident.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the morning, Toma would move his family to a cramped apartment in Irbil.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It hurts my heart to leave,” he said, “but I fear it will only get worse here.”</span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: large;"><b>What Jihadists are Doing in Syria and Iraq While Gaza Grabs the Headlines</b></span><br /> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By Ishaan Tharoor</span></div> <div class="inline-content inline-photo" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 20px;"> <br /> <br /> <article><div class="inline-content inline-photo" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 20px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; width: 599px;"><img class="" data-hi-res-src="http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_908w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2014/07/05/Foreign/Images/Nic6346128.jpg" data-low-res-src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_908w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2014/07/05/Foreign/Images/Nic6346128.jpg&w=480" src="http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_908w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2014/07/05/Foreign/Images/Nic6346128.jpg" style="border: 0px; width: 599px;" /></span><br /><span class="pb-caption">An image grab taken from a propaganda video released on July 5, 2014, by al-Furqan Media allegedly shows the leader of the Islamic State  jihadist group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, a.k.a Caliph Ibrahim, adressing Muslim worshippers at a mosque in the militant-held northern Iraqi city of Mosul.  (AFP PHOTO/HO/AL-FURQAN MEDIA)</span></span></div> </article></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The world is transfixed by the conflict in Gaza, as the death tolls of both Palestinians and Israelis killed in the fighting continue to rise. It has animated global public opinion and <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/07/22/how-the-gaza-conflict-is-being-fought-in-8-cities-across-the-world/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">sparked protests</a> in myriad far-flung cities.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But as the rockets and bombs fall, a deadlier war next door rolls on. The Syrian civil war has claimed 170,000 lives in three years; this past weekend's death toll in Syria was greater than what took place in Gaza. By some accounts, the past week may have been <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28454655" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">the deadliest</a> in the conflict's grim history. Meanwhile, the extremist insurgents of the Islamic State (also <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/06/18/isis-or-isil-the-debate-over-what-to-call-iraqs-terror-group/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">known as ISIS</a>), have continued their ravages over a swath of territory stretching from eastern Syria to the environs of Baghdad, Iraq's capital; the spike in violence in Iraq has led to more than <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/18/iraqi-civilian-death-toll-5500-2014-isis" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">5,500 civilian deaths</a> in the first six months of this year.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Over the weekend, Islamic State militants battled forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over a gas field in central Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, some 700 people have died in just two days of fighting, <a href="http://syriahr.com/en/index.php?option=com_news&nid=2361&Itemid=2&task=displaynews#.U9A-1vldXTo" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">including employees</a> working at the facility.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hundreds of miles away in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, activists and observers <a href="http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/07/19/iraq-isis-abducting-killing-expelling-minorities" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">report</a> a ferocious campaign against religious minorities waged by the Islamic State, which earlier declared <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/06/30/the-new-islamic-caliphate-and-its-war-against-history/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">the establishment of a "caliphate"</a> in the lands it controls. The jihadists, who espouse a puritanical, intolerant brand of Sunni Islam, have instituted strict sharia law. According to the Associated Press, the militants have even forced shopkeepers in Mosul to <a href="http://english.alarabiya.net/en/variety/2014/07/22/Veil-your-mannequins-ISIS-tells-Iraqi-shopkeepers.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">place veils</a> over the mannequins in their storefront windows.</span></div> <div class="wp-inline-bb pb-centered-bb has-subscribe-promo" id="slug_inline_bb" style="background-position: 123px -398px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; clear: both; float: none !important; height: 250px; margin: -20px auto 30px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 300px;"> <div id="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world/worldviews/blog/worldviews_6__container__" style="border: 0pt none;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><iframe frameborder="0" height="250" id="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world/worldviews/blog/worldviews_6" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world/worldviews/blog/worldviews_6" scrolling="no" style="border-width: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 300px;" width="300"></iframe></span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Their other activities are far less amusing. On Thursday, a UN official told the BBC that the Islamic State had <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28466434" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">issued a fatwa</a>, ordering female circumcision for all girls and women between the ages of 11 and 46. But according to at least <a href="https://twitter.com/LeilaFadel/status/492292473272561665" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">one journalist</a>, who spoke with residents in Mosul, that report may be false.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Even then, the Islamic State has moved rapidly away from earlier proclamations encouraging coexistence. They ordered all Christians to either convert or leave towns and cities where the Islamic State holds sway by July 19. Otherwise, they would face execution. That edict triggered a sad exodus of Christian minorities in Iraq's embattled Nineveh plains, once the heartland for some of the world's most ancient Christian communities. The militants have <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/19/world/middleeast/isis-forces-last-iraqi-christians-to-flee-mosul.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">defiled historic tombs</a>, seized monasteries, kidnapped nuns and killed other minorities.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In total, more than 600,000 Iraqis were driven from their homes in June alone, a direct result of the Islamic State's dramatic advance through the country. (See the map below to get a sense of how Iraq's many upheavals have shaken its population since the 2003 U.S. invasion.)</span></div> <div class="has-subscribe-promo borB1S borT1S marB26 padB10 padT10"> </div> <div class="inline-content inline-photo inline-photo-center" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(213, 213, 213); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin: 20px 0px; padding: 20px 0px; text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="Two Million Iraq Displacement v4" src="http://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/files/2014/07/iraqrefugeemap.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 600px; width: 599px;" /></span></div> <div class="pb-caption" style="margin: 0px auto; max-width: 600px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Courtesy of the International Rescue Committee.</span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A report from Human Rights Watch published last week <a href="http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/07/19/iraq-isis-abducting-killing-expelling-minorities" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">documented</a>recent murders, abductions and attacks suffered by religious and ethnic minorities in and around Mosul:</span></div> <blockquote class="citation" style="border-left-width: 0px; margin: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: center; width: 509px;"> <div style="margin-bottom: 22px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Since capturing Mosul on June 10, 2014, the armed Sunni extremist group has seized at least 200 Turkmen, Shabaks, and Yazidis, killed at least 11 of them, and ordered all Christians to convert to Islam, pay “tribute” money, or leave Mosul by July 19.<br /><br />On June 29, ISIS abducted two nuns and three Christian orphans, whom it held for 15 days. Around that same time, ISIS issued orders barring Yazidi and Christian employees, as well as ethnic Kurds, from returning to their government jobs in Mosul, two regional government officials and a priest told Human Rights Watch.<br /><br />Virtually all Turkmen and Shabaks – tens of thousands of families – have fled their communities near Mosul as a result of ISIS raids, in which the fighters seize local men and pillage homes and places of worship, residents of those villages said. Mosul’s few remaining Christian families also have fled, local priests said.</span></div> </blockquote> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On Sunday in Baghdad, the country's foremost Christian cleric, the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako, lamented in a special sermon the fate of his flock. "How in the 21st century could people be forced from their houses just because they are Christian, or Shi'ite or Sunni or Yazidi?" he <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/21/isis-genghis-khan-iraq-chaldean_n_5603939.html?ir=Religion" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">asked</a>. "Christian families have been expelled from their houses and their valuables were stolen and ...their houses and property expropriated in the name of the Islamic State."</span></div> <div class="wp-inline-bb pb-centered-bb has-subscribe-promo" id="slug_inline_bb_2" style="background-position: 123px -398px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; clear: both; float: none !important; margin: -20px auto 30px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 300px;"> <div id="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world/worldviews/blog/worldviews_7__container__" style="border: 0pt none;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><iframe frameborder="0" height="250" id="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world/worldviews/blog/worldviews_7" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/701/wpni.world/worldviews/blog/worldviews_7" scrolling="no" style="border-width: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 300px;" width="300"></iframe></span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He went on to make a chilling, grand historic proclamation: "This has never happened in Christian or Islamic history. Even Genghis Khan or Hulagu didn't do this," he said. Hulagu Khan was the Mongol warlord whose horde swept through Mosul en route to sacking Baghdad in 1258, a bloody slaughter that snuffed out <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Abbasid_Caliphate.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">the proud Abbasid caliphate</a> that had flourished there since the 8th century. Baghdad would take hundreds of years to reemerge as a political center. Sako may be indulging in hyperbole, but he echoes the sense of fear and uncertainty now gripping the region.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the face of these traumas, some construe the heated attention on casualties in Gaza to reflect a kind of <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/07/obsessing-about-gaza-ignoring-syria-and-most-everything-else/374898/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">anti-Israeli bias</a>. That's a bit much: the thorny Israeli-Palestinian crisis is at the heart of regional geopolitics and polarizes the conversation in ways the upheavals further east just don't. No one, for example, is <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2014/07/23/the-most-vile-op-ed-you-will-read-about-gaza/?hpid=z3" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" target="_blank">trying to make excuses</a> for the loss of civilian life in Iraq or Syria. But many more should be aware of how alarming the situation has grown.</span></div> </div>

Something is happening in the spirit realm and God help us not to just know it but to do something about our lives

After leveling Iraq’s Tomb of Jonah, the Islamic State could destroy ‘anything in the Bible’ Video of the destruction of the T...

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