Washington, D.C.- IDC joins all civilized people and all people of good will in condemning the Easter terrorist attack that targeted Christians in Lahore, Pakistan. These terrorists continue to show their cowardice, targeting women, children, and priests – unarmed, nonviolent, innocent civilians.
IDC also condemns violence against the Missionary of Charity sisters, who were murdered in Aden, Yemen, March 4, 2016, in which Fr.Fr. Thomas Uzhunnalil was kidnapped. We hope that the rumors of his execution by crucifixion are not true and that his captors will spare his life. Our prayers are with his family and his religious community.
IDC calls on the U.S. government and the international community to use all the tools at their disposal to destroy ISIS. These should include bringing to justice not merely the ISIS terrorists themselves, but also those who have in recent years provided ISIS with support. Until the full resources of the U.S. government and the international community are committed to rooting out both the financial and the ideological sources of ISIS and related terrorist extremism, this barbaric violence will continue.
IDC also calls upon governments in the Middle East to protect their Christian populations, who are increasingly targeted by ISIS.