helping to discern the times in which we live :: Phone: 1.951.301.1101 - 30141 Antelope Road. Suite D228 - Menifee, CA 92584

Christian Tortured to death by Islamic Seminary Students

Friday, May 14, 2004
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Muslims from an Islamic seminary in Toba Tek Singh, Punjab Province, Pakistan tortured a young Christian for five days and nights in order to force him to convert to Islam, according to reports from the U.K-based Barnabas Fund.

The Barnabas Fund reports that students from the seminary run by Maulvi Ghulam Rasool set upon 19-year old Javaid Anjum, accusing him of stealing their water pump when they found him drinking from an outside tap on April 17, 2004. Javaid replied to their accusations by freely telling them he was a Christian merely searching for a drink and that they could be assured that he would not steal anything.

The report said: "Upon learning that Javaid was a Christian, those accosting him forcibly took him into the school where he was tortured for five days by Maulvi Ghulam Rasool and others. Throughout his torture, Javaid's tormentors ordered him to deny his Christian faith and embrace Islam. Finally they took him to a local police station on April 22 and accused him of theft. He was clearly dying so the police informed his family and allowed them to remove him to hospital. Javaid was able to make a statement on video during his hospital treatment, which included dialysis on several occasions because both his kidneys failed. Javaid did not recover from his torture and died in hospital shortly after 2 a.m. on May 2."

SEVERE TORTURE

Barnabas Fund reported: "Javaid was a university student reading commerce. He had been returning to his grandfather's house after a visit to an aunt when he was abducted. The injuries Javaid sustained could hardly be more horrific. He was given electric shocks repeatedly to various parts of his body including his ears, which damaged his hearing. His right arm and fingers were fractured and his nails were pulled out. His feet were swollen from beating and he suffered contusions and lacerations all over his body. He received many internal injuries, and besides the two failed kidneys the doctors' report notes that he passed blood or pus instead of urine. In many places his skin appeared blackened and oozed pus and he could barely move."

In a shocking statement, the head constable at the police station where Javaid was taken said that it was God's will that he had to die that way and that Muslims there caught and punished him without intending to kill him. Maulvi (Mullah) Ghulam Rasool has been arrested.

Barnabas Fund works to support Christian communities mainly, but not exclusively, in the Islamic world where they are facing poverty and persecution.

Further details, quotes and photos on this and other stories may be available for news editors on request to Barnabas Fund.

Barnabas Fund:
The Old Rectory
River Street
PEWSEY
Wiltshire, SN9 5DB, UK.
Tel: +44(0)1672 564938, Fax: +44(0)1672 565030,
E-mail: info@barnabasfund.org
Web: www.barnabasfund.org

Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Garden Grove, CA. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in Sept., 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 2126, Garden Grove, CA 92842-2126 USA
E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com, Web Site: www.assistnews.net

VHS BLOWOUT - all VHS now only $7....BUT.... SPECIAL OFFER
while stocks last - with purchase of 5 or more VHS titles at $7.00 each -
Caryl Productions VHS is only $5.00 each (i.e. New Barbarians, Harry Potter,
Supernatural Powers and Gods of Entertainment)