Al-Qaeda threatens Jihad Over Pope’s Remarks

From the London Times: Al-Qaeda threatens jihad over Pope's remarks

An Iraqi militant group led by al-Qaeda has threatened to massacre Christians in response to remarks about Islam by Pope Benedict XVI that have caused offence across the Muslim world.

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Today an internet statement by the Mujahideen Shura Council, an umbrella group led by Iraq’s branch of al Qaeda, threatened reprisals against "worshippers of the cross" for the Pope's remarks.

"We shall break the cross and spill the wine. … (you will have no choice but) Islam or death," said the statement, citing a hadith (saying of the Prophet Mohammed) promising Muslims that they would "conquer Rome… as they conquered Constantinople".

"We tell the worshipper of the cross (the Pope) that you and the West will be defeated, as is the case in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya. God enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and descendants the bounty of the Mujahideen."

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Another militant group in Iraq, Ansar al-Sunnah, today also vowed to fight Christians in retaliation.

"You will only see our swords until you go back to God’s true faith Islam," it said in a separate statement, which called the Pope "Satan’s hellhound in the Vatican", saying he was "proud today of his hatred towards Muslims".

"The day is coming when the armies of Islam will destroy the ramparts of Rome," it added in the statement addressed to "Crusaders."

So what started this? The Pope mentioned a quote by Byzantine emperor Manuel II Palaeologus from seven hundred years ago.

“Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and then you shall find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”

So actually, the headline could be expanded to read, "Al-Qaeda threatens jihad over Pope's remarks about Muhammad's command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." Am I the only one who sees the sick irony in all this? Apparently not.

Hasyim Muzadi, the leader of Nahdlatul Ulama, agreed. "The apology has already been conveyed, that is enough," he said. "If we continue to be angry, then people will think the Pope was right."