SEVEN CHURCHES BOMBED IN BAGHDAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001891 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2019 TAGS: KIRF PGOV PTER IZ SUBJECT: SEVEN CHURCHES BOMBED IN BAGHDAD *********************** * Missing Section 001 * *********************** BAGHDAD 00001891 002 OF 002 in the government, especially with the 2010 national parliamentary elections on the horizon. Minister Selim also thought that the bombings were election related and predicted that the number of attacks will likely increase during the latter half of 2009. Non-Muslim Endowment Director al-Naufali stated that the Christians were targeted because "we are the weakest" part of Iraqi society. Al-Naufali argued that those who carried out the attack want to create divisions between Christians and Muslims and return Iraq back to the chaos of 2004 and 2005. Speaking to the press, Chaldean Archbishop Louis Sako stated that the attacks were "meant to pressure Christians to migrate from Iraq and never return." -------------- Another Exodus? -------------- ¶5. (C) Poloff queried Christian political and religious leaders whether they too thought this latest round of attacks would spark another exodus of Iraq's Christian population out of Baghdad. Minister Wijdan thought that Christians were now more worried and would want to leave. However, Father Augin and MP Kanna told Poloff that Christian leaders were speaking to their community and telling them not to be afraid. Father Augin said that he was personally encouraging his parishioners to stay in Baghdad and continue to come to Mass. Al-Naufali argued that the Christians who remain in Baghdad are too poor to leave to Syria or Jordan and that anyone who had the means to emigrate had already done so. -------------- GOI Response -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Prime Minister Maliki has not yet issued a public statement, but this is probably because he and his Spokesman are out of the country. As this cable was going to press, local media was reporting that Iraqi police have stepped up security at and are investigating the Baghdad bomb sites and that Vice President Abdul Mahdi has urged Iraq's Christians not to flee, and asked the international community to help protect it from extremists. Presumably to prevent a repeat of the October 2008 attacks against Christians in Mosul (refs D and E),the Ninewah Operations Command according to earlier press reports has banned vehicle traffic in Christian neighborhoods there. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) After 18 months of relative calm, these simultaneous attacks on Iraq's Christian community are very troubling. Christian leaders told us recently that the need for greater services and job opportunities was their primary focus, not security (refs A, B, C). These attacks will likely alter this calculation. The Embassy and the PRTs will continue to reach out to GOI officials and leaders of Iraq's Christian community to find out more information on the attacks, and who is responsible. We will also raise the issue with GOI security officials to see what additional security precautions can be instituted to help protect the Christian community and its churches. End comment. HILL