Commentary: Terrorist Attack Heightens Fears for the Future of Turkish Christians

Santa Maria Catholic Church

On Jan. 28, two terrorists wearing black balaclavas attacked Santa Maria Catholic Church in Istanbul, Turkey. The assailants entered the church as approximately 40 people were attending Mass. During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the gunmen began firing. Tragically, Tuncer Cihan was killed. He was about to become a Christian, attended church regularly, and was described as “a good person.”

Thankfully, no one else was injured, as the terrorists fled due to one of the guns miraculously jamming.

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Several Dozen Killed in Friday Suicide Bombing at Afghan Mosque

Afghanistan mosque

Several dozen worshippers were killed Friday in a suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in Afghanistan’s northern city of Kunduz. The attack is the deadliest in the country since U.S. forces completely withdrew from the region in late August.

It is not yet confirmed which group is responsible for the attack, though it displayed key elements of those carried out by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province, an Islamic State regional affiliate that has targeted Shiite civilians in the past.

The attack was conducted at about 1 p.m. local time as weekly mosque-goers were attending a sermon. A spokesman for the provincial government reported that at least 46 people were killed, though that figure is expected to rise significantly. Hundreds of patients in critical condition were admitted to local hospitals following the blast.

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At Least 35 Dead, Dozens Wounded in Kabul University Gunman Attack

Casualties from a Monday shooting at Kabul University in Afghanistan have risen to 35, according to two government officials, Reuters reported.

The majority of the dead were students, and approximately 50 were wounded in the attack, the sources said, Reuters reported. The Taliban has denied responsibility for the attack, but approximately 100 students protested outside the school that Doha Taliban peace negotiations haven’t resulted in lowered violence.

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Gunman Who Killed Four in Vienna Attack Had Sought to Join IS

A man who had previously tried to join the Islamic State group rampaged in Vienna armed with an automatic rifle and a fake explosive vest, fatally shooting four people before he was killed by police, Austrian authorities said Tuesday.

Witnesses described dozens of screaming people fleeing the sounds of gunshots Monday night in a nightlife district crowded with revelers enjoying the last hours before a coronavirus lockdown.

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Two Minneapolis Men Arrested for Attempting to Aid Terrorist Organization Hamas

Two Minneapolis men were arrested earlier this week for attempting to aid the Islamic Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas. The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrests in a press release Friday.

Michael Robert Solomon, 30, and Benjamin Ryan Teeter, 22, face federal criminal complaints for “conspiring and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.”

Solomon and Teeter planned to use revenue from delivering weapons to Hamas to fund their domestic terrorist plans. The pair intended to destroy government monuments, raid white supremacist organizations, and attack police, politicians, and media members. 

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Police Foil Possible Terror Truck Attack Outside Washington

A man in the U.S. state of Maryland has been arrested for an alleged Islamic State-inspired terror plot to run down pedestrians with a truck. Federal prosecutors are set to argue in a court appearance Tuesday that 28-year-old Rondell Henry should remain in detention pending trial. They said in a court filing ahead of the hearing that there are no conditions under which Henry could be freed and be assured of returning for future court appearances, and that he represents a threat to the community. Prosecutors allege Henry stole a truck from a suburban Washington shopping mall last month and drove around looking for terror targets. After failing to breach security at Dulles International Airport, Henry is accused of driving to the National Harbor in Maryland — a Potomac River walkway lined with shops and restaurants, highly popular with tourists. But in the court filing, the prosecutors say Henry did not find a large enough crowd for his desired act and decided to wait until later. Police arrested Henry the next morning after he climbed out of a docked boat in which he hid all night and jumped over a security fence. The government says Henry planned to drive the…

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