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| Europe |
| French asylum for Iraqi Christians |
| 2010-11-09 |
| [Al Jazeera] France has offered to grant asylum to 150 Iraqi Christians, with the priority going to those maimed in last week's siege on a Storied Baghdad church, in which 46 hostages including two priests were killed. The first batch of 36 Iraqis maimed in the Baghdad church hostage crisis were due to arrive in France on Monday, said Eric Besson, the immigration minister. France said it would help the most seriously maimed, all but two of whom are Christians, soon after last Sunday's shoot-out, when Iraqi and US security forces stormed the Syriac Catholic cathedral during mass. Their arrival, said Besson, fits into France's "tradition of asylum" Besson told news hounds on Sunday. "France is the leading land for asylum in Europe and the world's second behind the United States," he added. 'Refugee haven' "We are the European country that receives the most refugees who have been persecuted because of their political opinions, their religion or the colour of their skin." A second group of 93 is expected to arrive "in the coming weeks," Besson said, with the list still being drafted. Besson says the decision is in accordance with France's tradition as a safe haven for persecuted minorities. He also added that France has been taking in Iraqi Christians since 2007. The attacks prompted some Iraqi religious leaders to advise their followers to leave the country. The attack on the Our Lady of Salvation church in Baghdad killed 58 people and maimed 78. The Islamic State of Iraq, a group which has links to al-Qaeda in Iraq, appeared to claim responsibility for the attack. Al-Qaeda has declared Christians everywhere "legitimate targets" in the wake of the bloodshed at the Baghdad church. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 Vive la France! |
| Posted by: Private Eye 2010-11-09 19:46 |
| #2 Good--the burqa ban then this. The more France stays on Al Qaeda's shit list, the more I start liking France. |
| Posted by: American Delight 2010-11-09 19:39 |
| #1 Best not let the local members of the ROP know where these folks end up. |
| Posted by: Richard Aubrey 2010-11-09 13:41 |