By SIR
Yesterday, special units of US and Iraqi troops, during a raid in a house in the area of Batharthar, in the Sunni province of al-Anbar, killed the two heads of Al Qaeda in Iraq: military commander Abu Ayyub al Masri and political leader Abu Omar al Baghdadi. The Iraqi Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, in giving the news, also said that the terrorists were planning a number of attacks against the churches of Baghdad. The news has been indirectly confirmed to SIR by the patriarchal vicar of Baghdad, the Chaldean Shlemon Warduni. “I do not know anything about this killing – he says from Ankawa where a meeting for the Year of Priesthood is taking place – all I can say is that in the last few weeks some security forces had told us to be very careful, as there was a strong risk of attacks in the churches. That’s why last Sunday all the churches of the capital were surrounded by troops and police. We were aware of the risks due to the real possibility of terrorist attacks against our places of worship”.
As to the decision taken by the Iraqi Independent Electoral Commission to let the votes from the Baghdad districts be recounted, thus granting the request of Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki, mgr. Warduni has no doubts: “apart from the recounting of the votes, what is urgent now is to form a new government. Almost one and a half months have passed since the election, and we have no leadership yet. Iraq needs a government that is capable of ensuring peace, stability, reconciliation and security. All of Iraq and its interests must come out of the election the winners”. Over these days, over 150 priest, religious people, friars and monks are meeting in Ankawa for a convention on the Year of Priesthood. Points on the agenda include the Pope’s letter to the priests, the relation between the family and the discovery of vocation, Christian identity and Christian roots.