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International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington DC 20006
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT: Jonathan Racho, Regional Manager for Africa
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Islamic Radicals Bomb Open-Air Christian Meeting, Kill Two Believers And Wound Over Thirty
Washington,
D.C. (April 3, 2012) – On March 31, suspected Islamists threw a grenade
and killed two Christians and wounded more than 30 in the Kenyan city,
Mtwapa. The Christians were holding an outdoor worship service at the
time of the attack. A simultaneous bomb attack was also carried out on a
bar in the nearby city of Mombasa.
“Three people who were sitting in a parked car near the site of the event threw a grenade and drove away. Then I heard a blast and saw some women down, crying for help. A lady died on the spot. About 15 people were seriously wounded. Two days after the blast, a young boy died from the injuries,” said Rev. Simon Kirariuki Kimami, a pastor with the Kenyan Assembly of God, in a statement to ICC.
“Three people who were sitting in a parked car near the site of the event threw a grenade and drove away. Then I heard a blast and saw some women down, crying for help. A lady died on the spot. About 15 people were seriously wounded. Two days after the blast, a young boy died from the injuries,” said Rev. Simon Kirariuki Kimami, a pastor with the Kenyan Assembly of God, in a statement to ICC.
More
than 150 Christians were attending the outdoor service. Muslims were
also holding a meeting 900 feet from the scene of the attack. The
Islamic preachers were vilifying Christianity in their sermon which
could be heard from the location where the Christians were holding their
conference.
Kenyan
officials blame members of the radical Islamic group, Al-Shabaab, for
the bomb attacks. Al-Shabaab has been carrying out attacks in Kenya
after the government sent its troops to fight the Islamic group in
Somalia.
“My
message to Christians around the world is to be steadfast in serving and
honoring the Lord Jesus Christ, even in the face of persecution and
sometimes violent attacks. [I urge Christians] not to retaliate.
[Rather] they should show love even when they are attacked,” said Patrick Muchiri in an interview with ICC. Muchiri is a pastor with the Mombasa Pentecostal Church.
ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, Jonathan Racho, said, “We
are deeply concerned about the bomb attack targeting innocent
Christians. We urge Kenya to protect its citizens from the growing
attacks of the radical Islamists.”
For interviews, contact Jonathan Racho, Regional Manager for Africa: jonathan@persecution.org
# # #
You
are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference
ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org.
ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to
help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy,
and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church. For additional
information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.
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