Coptic Church Set Ablaze in Libya's Benghazi

W460

Gunmen on Thursday attacked an Egyptian Coptic church in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi and started a fire, witnesses said.

"Several armed men arrived firing in the air, started a fire in the church and left," a resident near the church in central Benghazi told Agence France Presse, asking not to be named.

An AFP correspondent who visited the scene said the windows of the church -- already attacked in late February when its priest and his assistant were assaulted -- had been blackened but the walls did not show signs of a fire.

Since the 2011 revolution that ousted Moammar Gadhafi, Libya's small Christian minority has expressed fears over Islamic extremism, especially with the rise of armed militias enforcing their own law in the absence of central control.

Comments 12
Thumb kanaandian 14 March 2013, 20:48

we should do the same to them in the west. anyone in?

Thumb natasha 14 March 2013, 22:52

i DOnt understand, when they go to western countries, Christian countries, we give them freedome of speach ,freedom of relegion, but when u go to saudi arabia, u cant voice ur opinion, have a church or have any rights. even with the open arm the west provides to these ppl they come here and want more and get all crazy if they dont get there demands, meanwhile when they were living in there own country they couldnt even speak there minds,or protest.its not religion the problem ,it s the fanatics from every religion that create problems.

Thumb Chupachups 14 March 2013, 22:58

Um Natasha please don't beat around the bush, say it as it is... It is the fanatics from ISLAM that you are describing now !

Thumb natasha 14 March 2013, 22:58

If that was a mosque, riots would have happenned around the world. the double standard and the hypocracy are on another level .... THe funny part is they are both the house of GOD, they dont realize that Muslim GOD, Christian GOD and Jewish GOD is one and the same, so burning a Church ,a Mosque or a Jewish temple is Offending and sacriligious to any of those 3 religions.
the best example for me is: u have a corporation with different departments, Christians, Jews and Muslims but one CEO " GOD" that all 3 departments answer to.

Default-user-icon Nemo (Guest) 14 March 2013, 23:01

The west is to concerned with PC to do anything about it!

Thumb phoenician 14 March 2013, 23:07

Wrong Natasha, Muslims dont believe in God they believe in Mouhamed and his book the koran.

Default-user-icon ian (Guest) 15 March 2013, 01:18

In the west what they do for example in canada they built a Moskeh just a cross a church imagine if this is done in their countries specially in Saudi arabia ,these fanatics should be prevented entering the west and for me 90% they are fanatic sunnis.

Missing mansour 15 March 2013, 03:20

People are not born to hate others...its is the religion of ISLAM that teaches to hate and not accept others..so to say there moderate islam is bullshit he either follows ISLAM and doesnt accept others or he doesnt follow ISLAM and is not a true muslim.
Long Live The Syrian Civil War!

Missing greatpierro 15 March 2013, 03:40

FT you know well that el Saoud are fighting on their land el Quaeda and Salafists. El Saoud are guilty not because they are sponsoring extremists but because of the great inequalities in the distribution of wealth in Saudi Arabia,

injustice, and their collaboration with the US. Since the early days of Islam, extremisim and ethnic cleansening against Jews and Christians

Default-user-icon Omar (Guest) 15 March 2013, 06:41

Sorry to our Christian friends. This people don't represent Islam. I am from Algeria and they bombed some mosques too in the 90's. This extremist people is fanatical and belong to Al Qaeda and some groups and I hope the Libyan gouvernement catch them and execute them. Sorry again but please don't confuse with Islam which respects all religions.
Peace everybody.

Default-user-icon WorldIsFanatic (Guest) 15 March 2013, 10:00

Muslim fanaticism in broad day light..... Christian fanaticism in the dark.... that's the only difference

Thumb ghada12 15 March 2013, 11:17

what's with natasha and her anger at saudi arabia? hey, this is naharnet not meccanet!!!! again they come and fight in lebanon and involve us!!!