2004 church bombings in Baghdad and Mosul

2004 car bomb attacks in Iraq Church bombingsin Baghdad and Mosul Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006) Baghdad: Church Sayidat al-Najat (Our Lady of Salvation) - Karrada, Baghdad Church Sayidat al-Zohour (Our Lady of the Flowers) - Karrada, Baghdad (Armenian Catholic Church) Sts. Peter & Paul, Dora, Baghdad St. Elia, Baghdad St. Mary's Assyrian Church of the East Baghdad Mosul: St. Paul Church - Center of Mosul Baghdad and Mosul, Iraq 1 August 2004 ~18:30 ~19:00 UTC+4 Car bombings at least 12 at least 71 Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad Anti-Christian sentiment On August 1, 2004, a series of car bomb attacks took place during the Sunday evening Mass in churches of two Iraqi cities, Baghdad and Mosul. The six attacks killed at least 12 people and wounded at least 71. No one claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Iraq's national security adviser, Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, blamed the attacks on Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The bombings marked the first major attack against the Christian community since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Attacks thumb|left|220px|Sayedat al-najat Church The attacks happened within a few minutes of each another. Rigged cars were parked outside churches and detonated when parishioners were leaving services. Only one of the bombings was believed to have been a suicide attack. The witnesses reported that "body parts were scattered across the area". Of the six bombs, one did not explode and the police was able to remove it safely. In Mosul, hospitals reported two people were killed and 15 others were injured. One of the bombed churches the Our Lady of Salvation Syriac Catholic cathedral was the same church that was attacked with hostages taken and killed on October 31, 2010.http://sverigesradio.se/diverse/appdata/isidor/files/83/6810.pdf Church Bombings in Iraq Since 2004 (June 2004 - July 2009) Assyrian Int'l News Agency, pdf file 2010-11-17 2012-10-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20121008122006/http://sverigesradio.se/diverse/appdata/isidor/files/83/6810.pdf live Responsibility Al-Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attacks on an Islamic website. Iraq's national security adviser, Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, blamed the attacks on Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Reaction A Vatican spokesman, Rev. Ciro Benedettini, called the attacks "terrible and worrisome". The Pope "firmly deplored the unjust aggressions against those whose only aim is to collaborate for peace and reconciliation in the country". The Russian Orthodox Church issued a statement saying "the attacks were an attempt to spark a religious conflict." Muslims around the country condemned the attacks. In a statement to Al-Jazeera television, a spokesman for Muqtada al-Sadr said: "This is a cowardly act and targets all Iraqis". Ali al-Sistani issued a statement in which he wrote: "We stress the need to respect the rights of Christians in Iraq and those of other religious faiths and their right to live in their home, Iraq, peacefully." Although only comprising about three percent of the population, Iraqi Christians make up 20% of Iraqis leaving the country as refugees. After 2004 churches bombing, which was the worst act of violence against Christian minority by that time, a member of Christian community, Layla Isitfan, in her interview with Time correspondents said: "If I can't go to church because I'm scared, if I can't dress how I want, if I can't drink because it's against Islam, what kind of freedom is that?" See also 2008 attacks on Christians in Mosul 2010 Baghdad church attack 2013 Iraq Christmas Day bombings References https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3527032.stm Leaders condemn Iraq church bombs BBC News 2004-08-02 3 January 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20070105011256/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3527032.stm January 5, 2007 live http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040802/world.htm#1 Attacks on Iraq churches, 12 killed The Tribune 2004-08-01 2010-11-15 2010-09-23 https://web.archive.org/web/20100923191814/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040802/world.htm#1 dead http://sverigesradio.se/diverse/appdata/isidor/files/83/6810.pdf Church Bombings in Iraq Since 2004 The Tribune 2010-11-15 2012-10-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20121008122006/http://sverigesradio.se/diverse/appdata/isidor/files/83/6810.pdf live http://articles.cnn.com/2004-08-02/world/iraq.main_1_karada-car-bombing-al-rubaie?_s=PM:WORLD Church bombs: Top insurgent blamed CNN 2004-08-02 2010-11-15 https://web.archive.org/web/20121001081945/http://articles.cnn.com/2004-08-02/world/iraq.main_1_karada-car-bombing-al-rubaie?_s=PM:WORLD 2012-10-01 dead January 2015http://www.christiansofiraq.com/bombed.html Blast Hits Churches Across Iraq, 11 dead christiansofiraq.com 2004-08-01 OMAR SINAN 2010-11-15 2010-11-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20101120121756/http://christiansofiraq.com/bombed.html live http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,995198,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20080309220042/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,995198,00.html dead March 9, 2008 Holy War: Iraq's Persecuted Christians Time Sep 27, 2004 2010-11-15 Christopher Allbritton Samantha Appleton http://www.christiansofiraq.com/Full_Report.pdf Assimilation, Exodus, Eradication: Iraq's minority communities since 2003 Preti Taneja 2007 www.christiansofiraq.com 978-1-904584-60-5 2010-11-15 2010-11-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20101120150224/http://christiansofiraq.com/Full_Report.pdf live External links Pictures of 2004 Church Bombings in Iraq Assimilation, Exodus, Eradication: Iraq’s minority communities since 2003 THE REACH OF WAR Iraq - New crackdown on Christians Category:Bombings in the Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011) Category:2004 in Baghdad Category:Mosul in the Iraq War Category:2004 murders in Iraq Category:Church bombings in Iraq Category:Terrorist incidents in Iraq in 2004 Category:Terrorist incidents in Baghdad in the 2000s Category:Christianity in Baghdad Category:Christianity in Mosul Category:Church bombings by Islamists Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2004 Category:2004 mass murders Category:21st-century mass murders in Baghdad Category:Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad attacks Category:Mass murders in Mosul Category:Improvised explosive device bombings in Mosul Category:August 2004 crimes in Asia Category:August 2004 in Iraq Category:2004 building bombings Category:Building bombings in Baghdad Category:Car and truck bombings in 2004 Category:2004 in Christianity Category:Car and truck bombings in Baghdad