ASIA/IRAQ - “Zarqawi the terrorist wants to free Iraq from foreign invaders? Well he should be the first to go, seeing he is not Iraqi and he is shedding the innocent blood of Iraqis” a priest in northern Iraq told Fides

Baghdad (Fides Service)-“Who asked him to come here to “defend” our people and carry out his heinous attacks on innocent civilians?”. Father Nizar Semaan, Iraqi Catholic priest in Mosul north Iraq is dismayed by the recent series of attacks in various part of Iraq in which at least one hundred civilians were killed.
“Zarqawi a terrorist from Jordan has claimed responsibility for most of these crimes saying he represents the people of Iraq and wants to free Iraq from the foreign troops. But who asked him to? Could any Iraqi citizen agree to let these criminals shed the blood of Iraqi people? How dare he threaten our Premier?” Father Nizar asks. “ Zarqawi wants to free Iraq from foreign invaders? Well he should be the first to go seeing he is not Iraqi ” Father Nizar told Fides. “He and other criminals have chosen Iraq as a battlefield for a war which is not a war of the Iraqi people. We are tired of violence and death. We want to rebuild our country ”.
“What is happening in Iraq affects the rest of the Arab world seeing that these terrorists come from Arab countries” Father Nizar told Fides. “In this regard I will never tire of calling on all Arab leaders to issue a firm condemnation of terrorism, but so far they have failed to do so”. “Indeed” the priest said “Arab media report attacks in Iraq with tones of triumph. Whereas the family members and tribal leaders should openly disown people like Zarqawi. In Arab society to be disowned by the family and tribe means exclusion. If terrorists were isolated they would be unable to recruit new criminals ”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 25/6/2004 righe 27 parole 329)