Senior Iranian Cleric Raps Beheading of Christian Egyptians in Libya
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, a senior Iranian cleric, on Monday strongly condemned the recent beheading of Christian Egyptians by the ISIL terrorist group in Libya, and asked the West to end support for the savage group.
The beheading of 21 Christians by the savage terrorists of ISIL was so horrible that deeply saddened all scholars from different religions, Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said in a Monday message.
“We strongly condemn the (terrorist) act, and ask the West to cut any form of support for this cruel and savage group, since its adverse consequences would affect all sides,” the senior cleric stressed.
He further highlighted the role of the United States and Israel in creating the terrorist group, and warned that the would finally target its own supporters.
Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi hoped for the urgent arrest and punishment of those responsible for the killing of the Christian Egyptians, and called on followers of all divine religions to cooperate in fight against the terrorist group.
Fighters pledging allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group released a video on Sunday purporting to show the killing of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians kidnapped in Libya.
The video, whose authenticity was confirmed by the Egyptian government and the Coptic Church, showed the Egyptian workers, all wearing orange jump suits, being beheaded near a waterfront said to be located in the Libyan province of Tripoli.