Assyrians Abducted in Bartillah, Barzani Forces Blamed (30/05/2003)

The list of the missing persons includes: 

Yasar Kucukasalan
Jac Yahkop Sen
Gebro Gurbuz
Fikri Hobel
Basar Iso
Salih Pedaui
Ivan Francis Yoran
Efrem Semir

According to Rev. Joseph, these individuals are “all Assyrian Christians and were taken in by Barzani forces as far as we can tell.”

Rev. Joseph also presented a letter sent to local Assyrian families – directed to the women in particular – and also sent to an unidentified Assyrian bishop warning of the consequences of disobeying Islamic laws.  In the letter to the Bishop Assyrian men were told to begin wearing beards.  The following is a translation of the letter to the Assyrian families:

In the name of God, the most merciful and compassionate

“Do not ordain yourselves as illiterate women before Islam” (The Koran)

To this noble family:

We hope that the family will stand with the “brothers of Muslims” group and follow the Muslim basics and rules of wearing the veil and possess honorable teaching of Islam that Muslims continue to follow from ages past. We are the Iraqi people, the Muslim people that do not accept any mistakes.

If the message is not to be followed we will take the following actions:

1. Doing what no one can endure the consequences (explained to Rev. Joseph as rape)
2. Killing
3. Kidnapping
4. Burning the house with its dwellers or exploding it


Rev. Joseph tells Zinda Magazine that he was “shocked to talk to the civilian head of the U.S Operations in Iraq, Mr. Jay Garner, and find out he had no knowledge whatsoever of the situation.”  Rev. Joseph says: “It was clear to me that he is not being informed of what is taking place on the ground and how the country is being taken over systematically by Islamic forces literally under the noses of the authorities in charge. If something is not done immediately it will be a fait accompli and there will only be a pullout to ponder.”

Rev. Joseph continues: “Retired Army Lieutenant General Garner assured me that the Coalition is committed to ensuring that a secular government will take over that will protect the rights of all involved and it will not be an Islamic country.”