Rome Newsroom, Jan 29, 2024 / 07:27 am (CNA).
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on a Catholic church in Istanbul during Sunday Mass that left one man dead.
Two suspects described as members of the Islamic State group have been arrested following the shooting on Jan. 28 at Santa Maria Church in Istanbul’s Sariyer district.
Turkish Minister of the Interior Ali Yerlikaya announced late on Sunday night that police had conducted raids on 30 locations across Istanbul following the attack during which the arrests were made.
“Both of the suspects are foreign nationals. One of them is from Tajikistan and the other is Russian, and we evaluated them to be with the Islamic State,” Yerlikaya said, according to Reuters.
The minister also identified the victim of the attack as 52-year-old Turkish national Tuncer Cihan in a post on the social media platform X.
The Turkish bishops’ conference has asked for prayers for the victim and his family in a statement released on Jan. 28.
“We firmly condemn this act of violence against humanity,” said the statement signed by Archbishop Martin Kmetec of Izmir.
“We trust that the Turkish state security forces will find those responsible and that justice will be done,” he said. “We firmly demand that the truth be revealed and that greater security be guaranteed to our communities and churches.”
The Turkish bishops also urged people “not to spread the culture of hatred and religious discrimination.”
The attack took place at 11:40 a.m. local time as Mass was being offered in the church. Video footage of the attack obtained by EWTN News showed two masked assailants dressed in black following a man with white hair into the church and shooting him in the back of the head as parishioners hid under the pews.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the Istanbul attack on its official media outlet, Aamaq, according to the Associated Press.
Hours after the attack, Bishop Massimiliano Palinuro, the apostolic vicar of Istanbul, told EWTN News that the man was killed “during the consecration while all the congregation was praying.”
“We are worried about the future because if this is a sign of the religious intolerance, for our community it could be a bad sign. Let us pray,” Palinuro said.
There are about 25,000 Roman Catholics living in Turkey, including migrants from Africa and the Philippines, according to a 2022 report by the U.S. State Department.
Earlier this month, Turkish news outlet Anadolu Agency reported that 25 suspected Islamic State members were arrested in Turkey on Jan. 3 under accusation that they were plotting attacks on churches and synagogues.
In response to the news of the arrest of two suspects affiliated with the Islamic State, Palinuro told EWTN News on Jan. 29, “We trust in the justice of God.”
EWTN journalists Rudolf Gehrig and Colm Flynn contributed to this report from Istanbul, Turkey.
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Those loving and fraternal bretheran from the great religion of peace? I’m shocked, shocked ….
they are not loving and fraternal bretheran from the great religion of peace. they are religion of war
Turkey has lost its democratic secular attitude and for many years now has been speeding toward islamic fundamentalism. They make no secret about it.
Ironically I see their commercials on TV trying to draw people to vacation there. Here’s my slogan: “Come see Turkey. Get shot in the head while you pray.” Turkey is a popular vacation spot for Europeans in particular and I am aware many Irish Catholics vacation there. Maybe its time to open your eyes and STOP financially supporting countries that want to murder you and snuff out your religious beliefs. Keep your tourist dollars HOME or in nations which are actually pro-western democracies. They are becoming fewer and fewer. Money talks. Money has power. USE IT.
Jus wait, Islamic State will be getting a private audience with Pope Francis. Why not?
I always think that instead of the phrase “claims responsibility for” some heinous act, articles such as this should say “confessed their guilt.”
It’s a shame.
Turkey is an absolutely beautiful place & the people are overwhelmingly hospitable. One of my dear friends had Turkish grandparents. You couldn’t visit them without being offered a meal. Pretty similar to Southern hospitality. Her grandmother was one of the loveliest, most gracious ladies I’ve ever known & an incredible cook.
Islamic State began when Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Kony 2012, etc were losing their cache as the official moslem bogeymen we’re all supposed to be exercised about. Islamic State also arose when we were contemplating leaving Iraq. The powers that be made damn sure that that would never happen. Hence the new Moslem bogeyman which immediately manifested itself in 2014.
In all likelihood, all these groups were created by, and are shepherded and sustained by, Western and Israeli intelligence services. (In the case of Al-Qaeda, we *know* it began as a CIA op in the 80’s–a “database” for Afghan guerillas fighting the Soviets).
Terrorist incidents, real or merely theatrical, can then be activated whenever necessary.
The reason for this terrorist incident is transparent.
Israel is losing the media war because of its daily murder of Palestinian civilians, mostly women and children. Add to this the World Court raising the genocide issue, and America’s growing reluctance to commit to another war in the middle east.
So Israel and assorted Neo-cons need another “Moslem terrorist incident” to distract from their own murderous agenda, to remind the Western population who the “real bad guys” are, and to draw America ever deeper into a new Middle East war–for Israel.
Watch also for many “connections” to Iran to be found. Sen. Lindsey Graham, and others will soon be calling for war (in fact, I believe he did so just yesterday).
Enjoy the future–another “cool” apocalyptic middle east conflict!
Thanks for the glimpse into what insanity looks like.