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Christians Murdered In Turkey
Two Turkish Christians and a German guest were found dead yesterday in what seems to have all the hallmarks of a Islamist ritual murder.
The three, who ran a publishing house that printed Bibles, were found bound hand and foot to chairs with their throats slit. Another man was severely injured in the attack, and a fifth is in a critical condition after he jumped from a window in an attempt to escape the killers.
Authorities in the conservative eastern region are said to be looking into an Islamist link: The murders appear to have been carried out in the tradition of Turkey's branch of the Hezbollah terror group.
The victims worked for the publishing house Zirve. Both Turks were converts to Christianity: Militiant Islamists in the region accuse the publishers of proselytising and distributing Bibles.
A spokesman for the publisher said they had been considering requesting police protection following a series of death threats from Islamists. Another source added that the local media and community figures had whipped up anger against the publisher, and that there had been protests in the street outside the office.
Four men were arrested at the scene: The Guardian reports the police raided the publisher following calls from worried relatives, who had not heard from their family for days.
The attacks come as two Christians go on trial in Istanbul, accused of insulting Turkey and Islam. The pair ran a Bible study course, which authorities claim was used to "bribe" Muslims to convert to Islam.
"Moderately" Islamist Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently announced he hoped to run for President, sparking protests in Istanbul at the weekend. An estimated 300,000 marched demanding that Turkey's secular tradition be upheld. Protesters claim that since Erdogan's party came to power, Turkey's law and culture are being bent towards Islam's religious tradition.
The repercussions of these events travel far beyond Turkey's borders. Turkey is in membership negotiations with the EU, though talks have stalled in recent weeks. The numerous sceptics who believe that the mainly Muslim country has no place in the European Union will see the week's events as further proof of their fears (though killing for religious reasons is by no means unique to Turkey - see Northern Ireland).
However, even those who are undecided will have reason to feel uncomfortable. Is a moderate Islamist party ever likely to become an eastern addition to Europe's Christian Democrats?
And even if it does, what sort of neighbourhood would the EU import by extending its borders to Turkey? Turkey's three longest borders are with Syria, Iran and Iraq: Not known as moderating influences or good neighbours.
