The mother of one of the martyrs, Milad Makeen Zaky, says she is grateful her son stayed faithful to his Christian faith to the end. "From his childhood, he was going to Sunday school, reading the holy Bible, attending the prayer meetings in the church continuously. We thank God he kept the faith."
There is one thing that is difficult to understand. Prime Minister David Cameron says Islam is "a religion of peace" and Islamic State fighters are "not Muslims," but monsters. UK immigration minister James Brokenshire says terrorism and extremism "have nothing to do with Islam." French president Francois Hollande is quoted as saying that the Charlie Hebdo murderers "have nothing to do with the Muslim faith."
The point is that they are Muslims. And they do what they do precisely because of their Muslim faith. Why do politicians say things that surely they themselves don't believe?
Can it be because they find it more convenient to do so?
While we're on the subject, do watch the video of a 10-year-old Christian Iraqi girl in a refugee camp in Erbil who was forced to flee her home in Qaraquosh when Islamic State militants took over. She tells how she forgives them. It is reported to have reduced her interviewer to tears. You can see it here.
