Patriarch Laham: We will not forget and pray for the abducted Syrian bishops.

Patriarch Laham: We will not forget and pray for the abducted Syrian bishops. (AN).

The Christian community in Syria "has not forgotten" its bishops, because "every time we hold a joint prayer meeting we talk about them, we think of them." In recent days "a celebration was held in Beirut", and the same will happen today, "at the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate", in the Lebanese capital, Melkite Patriarch Gregory III Laham, tells AsiaNews, commenting on the three years since the kidnapping of Msgr. Yohanna Ibrahim and Msgr. Boulos Yaziji in Aleppo, in northern Syria.

Since April 22, 2013 there has been no news of the two prelates of the Syro-Orthodox and Greek-Orthodox church, whose fate remains shrouded in mystery. There abduction was "abnormal" because it was never followed up with claims or concrete negotiations to obtain their release. A serious blow to these Churches of the East, a symbol of interfaith dialogue, spiritual and intellectual enrichment for the region.

Msgr. Yohanna Ibrahim, bishop of the Syriac Orthodox diocese of Aleppo and Msgr. Boulos Yaziji, Archbishop of the Greek-orthodox diocese were kidnapped before 6 pm in the village of Kafr Dael, about 10 km from Aleppo. According to witnesses the two prelates were negotiating the release of two priests Fr. Michel Kayyal (Armenian Catholic) and Fr. Maher Mahfouz (Greek-Orthodox), seized in February of that year.

After they arrived at the rebel militias road block, the car carrying the two bishops was flanked by armed men, maybe Chechen jihadists, who opened fire on the vehicle, killing the driver deacon and seizing the prelates.

Evidence gathered in the hours following the kidnap appeared to show that the group was made up of foreigners who did not speak Arabic.

However, from that moment on the entire episode has been shrouded in silence. None of the rebel groups has claimed the abduction and to date there is no information about the fate of the two bishops, metropolitans of Aleppo, or if they are still alive.

For this reason, the Syrian Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church organized a prayer meeting entitled "We do not forget", which was held on April 19 in Beirut with the aim of keeping the memory of the two religious leaders alive. The function was attended by political and religious leaders of Lebanon and the Middle East.

These included president of the Syriac League, Habib Ephrem, who stated that "nobody cares about this kidnapping."

Former government minister Faycal Karami had even harsher words and said that the kidnapping was "a premeditated act", a "message" to Christians to tell them to "leave the region", which he believes hides "the hand of Israel" even if the perpetrators are Muslim extremist groups.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Syrian, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Gregory III, confirmed that "three years have passed and we know nothing of their fate" and so far any information they have received "has no basis, there is no real or credible news”. It is "impossible", he confirms, to obtain "definite information."

"What we can do - continues the prelate - is to renew the call to prayer, so that there is a general, international mobilization for peace in Syria". The hope, he adds, "is that their fate and their suffering is a reminder, an appeal to the world for peace. That these two martyrs are a sign of the future, a Cross on the path of the Syrian people. "

The Melkite Patriarch strongly affirms that Msgr. Yohanna Ibrahim and Msgr. Boulos Yaziji "will not be forgotten" and "whenever we come together to pray, we talk about them."


A long standing critic of Western (and regional) powers’ intervention first in Iraq and then in Syria, which he believes has only exacerbated the conflict, Gregory III hopes that "the world take interest in this matter, to take charge of the Syrian crisis, the drama of the faithful and of the nation’s people as a whole". 

This anniversary, he concludes, "I hope will be the occasion to launch an appeal for peace. We need a universal alliance for peace, not US, Arabic or Russian. What is required is a willingness to advance the talks and find a common point. Instead, there are those who attack, who want chaos, to feed the money markets, the arms markets, to feed personal interests ... Someone is making a lot of money out of this war!".

Indirect info suggests two metropolitans kidnapped in Syria were executed

Indirect info suggests two metropolitans kidnapped in Syria were executed. (IF).

Moscow, December 2, Interfax - According to some reports, two Syrian hierarchs, namely Orthodox Church of Antioch Metropolitan of Aleppo Paul and Syro-Jacobite Metropolitan of Aleppo John-Ibrahim, kidnapped in 2013, were executed.

"Leader of the only Middle Eastern Orthodox Party Mashriq Roderick Khoury spoke of this at a meeting with coordinator of the inter-faction State Duma deputy group for the protection of Christian values Sergey Gavrilov on Wednesday," executive secretary of the deputy group Oleg Yefimov told Interfax-Religion.

The leader of the Mashriq party told Gavrilov with reference to sources in Turkey that representatives of radical North Caucasian groupings jointly with Al-Qaeda participated in the kidnapping of Syrian hierarchs, he said.

Meanwhile, a source referred to a statement made by Dagestani native and participant of the terrorist grouping Magomed Abdurakhmanov, who personally confirmed his participation in the kidnapping of the hierarchs.

"The source said that Abdurakhmanov showed a video in which the kidnapped metropolitans were filmed and also reaffirmed that they were executed," the source said.

The inter-faction deputy group intended to urgently turn to the Turkish authorities for confirmation of the detention of Abdurakhmanov and the information he produced about the assassination of the Christian leaders kidnapped in 2013.

Video - Syria's Grand Mufti: Erdogan & Davutoglu behind Abduction of Two Aleppo Archbishops

The Grand Sunni Mufti of Syria, Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, discusses on camera the circumstances that led to the infamous abduction of the two Archbishops of Aleppo, Yohanna Ibrahim for the Syriac Orthodox and Boulos Yazigi for the Greek Orthodox. He accuses the current Turkish government of sending a Chechen group that was trained in Turkey to abduct the two Archbishops, after dissatisfaction with the Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim several years prior.

Kidnapped Syrian Bishops' Case Complicated -- Lebanon's Security Director

Kidnapped Syrian Bishops' Case Complicated -- Lebanon's Security Director. Daily Star, Lebanon

Beirut -- The case of the bishops kidnapped in Syria for almost a year is complicated, Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, director-general of Lebanon's General Security, said in comments published Sunday, adding, however, that efforts to release them are "on the right track."

"The case of the two abducted bishops in Aleppo, Boulos Yazigi and Yohanna Ibrahim, is more complicated than the case of the Maaloula nuns, but it is on the right track," Abbas told the Al-Raya Qatari newspaper.

"I would rather keep the information out of the public so as not to spoil the efforts being exerted in that regard, but I assure [the public] that all efforts are being exerted to resolve this humanitarian case," he said.

Aleppo's Greek Orthodox Archbishop, Paul Yazigi, and Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim were abducted on April 23, 2013 by gunmen while returning to the northern Syrian city from the Turkish border.

Ibrahim also praised the role played by Qatar in the release of the Lebanese pilgrims, who were held in Syria's Aazaz, and a group of nuns abducted from the Syrian town of Maaloula.

Ibrahim, who helped secure the release of the Maaloula nuns earlier this month, as well as the Lebanese hostages last year, has also been following up on the case of the bishops.Hmmm....you would think Turkey having such 'good' relations with terrorists would help? 

Contact lost with abducted Syrian nuns......Nobody mentions 'abducted' Bishops.

Contact lost with abducted Syrian nuns.....Nobody mentions 'abducted' Bishops.(alalam).

Syrian nuns who were abducted by radical militants in Syria have been relocated, as negotiators have lost contact with them, sources have said.

The 13 nuns and three maids were kidnapped from the famed Christian hamlet of Maaloula last year and transported to the nearby town of Yabroud, a militant stronghold the army is fighting to recapture.

"I was in regular contact with them, but since yesterday we've lost contact," a source involved in negotiations said.

"It is very likely that they have been transferred to the region between Yabroud and the Lebanese border" nearby, the source said."Contacts are underway to try to ensure their safety."

The source said the kidnappers were from a group belonging to the Al-Qaeda representative Al-Nusra Front, led by a man called Abu Malek al-Kuwaiti.

Syria sank into war in March 2011 when pro-reform protests turned into a massive insurgency following the intervention of Western and regional states.

The unrest, which took in terrorist groups from across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, has transpired as one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history.Hmmmm.....Soon it will be a year since the two Bishops were abducted......'We are no longer a Christian nation......indeed'.

Turkey's Role in the Kidnapping April 2013 of the two Syrian Bishops.

Turkey's Role in the Kidnapping April 2013 of the two Syrian Bishops.HT: Aina.

On April 22, 2013 Bishops Yuhanna Ibrahim and Paul Yazici were kidnapped in Syria. During the kidnapping their driver was murdered. A fourth person in the car, Fuad Eliya, was released. 

Bishop Yuhanna Ibrahim is of the Syriac Orthodox Church and was considered the strongest candidate to succeed the current Patriarch. Bishop Paul Yazici is of the Greek Orthodox Church, he is the brother of the current patriarch.

The Bishops left the Turkish border on April 22, heading towards Aleppo. In the silver coloured Kia Sorrento was also Fuad Eliya and Bishop Ibrahim's driver, Fathallah Kabud. Bishop Paul Yazici was on his way home to Aleppo after an overseas trip.

To get home safely to Syria he asked Bishop Ibrahim to pick him up at the Bab El-Hawa border crossing. 20 kilometers from the border crossing the car stopped at a checkpoint controlled by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and passed without incident. About two kilometers from this checkpoint, at 3:45 PM, the car was stopped by eight heavily armed men.

According to Fuad Eliya, the only survivor of the kidnapping, the perpetrators were not Syrians, but seemed to be people who came from Caucasus. Their clothes were similar to Taliban attire. One of the kidnappers forced the driver out of the car and put himself behind the wheel, another armed man sat in the backseat of the car, and they drove behind the kidnappers' blue truck. The cars changed direction and drove back to Bab El-Hawa. This is where the Bishops were last seen.

The Chaos In Syria And Turkey's Role In The Conflict

Since the war broke out in Syria, Turkey has played an active role in the conflict. The Syrian opposition's headquarters are in Istanbul. The Free Syrian Army runs its operations virtually from refugee camps in Turkey that are placed along the Syrian border. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have supported and financed the Syrian opposition, helping with logistics and weapons. But Turkey has played an ever more active role and has successively increased weapons deliveries to the opposition. Even the more radical groups, such as Al-Nusra and many more which are associated with Al-Qaeda, have received weapons from Turkey. The chaos in Syria has attracted jihadist groups from many countries in the region. The 900 kilometer border between Turkey and Syria has becpme a gateway to Syria for jihadist groups.
Russia has supported the regime in the Syrian civil war. Russia's support has evoked reactions from Muslims in the Caucasus region, which have been drawn to the Jihad in Syria. Jihadists from the Caucasus have two reasons to engage in the "holy war" in Syria, to help their Sunni co-religionists and to exact revenge on Russia, which according to the jihadists has been oppressing them in the Caucasus. But these jihadist groups have rarely participated in any real battles, instead they prefer to amuse themselves by plundering and murdering innocent civilians. Often they commit war crimes and crimes against humanity. This propaganda video is one of many examples showing how brutally these terrorists act. Those who watch the video can see that these terrorists are from the Russian Caucasus. The "holy war" -- Jihad -- has united many extremists from Chechnya, Dagestan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, the Balkans and many other Muslim countries. They have been able to move inside Turkey unhindered, along the Syrian border.

It has been generally known that Turkey has helped these extremists with weapon and logistics. But in the last few months Turkey has been caught red-handed several times. Turkish media that slipped past Turkish state censorship reported the following:

• A truck loaded with armour-piercing rockets was stopped outside Adana, close to the Syrian border. It was heading to the rebels in Syria but was stopped at the police check point.
• In early January, 2014 a police roadblock stopped a truck headed to Syria. The police began searching the truck but were stopped by the Turkish secret service, MIT, who escorted the truck to Syria. According to the Turkish ministry of interior, the cargo consisted of clothes, medicine and other emergency care for Turkmens in Syria. But the question is why a load of "emergency care" was being escorted by Turkish secret agents, which report directly to Prime Minister Erdogan. A couple of days later the Turkmens organizations denied that they had received any emergency care from Turkey.

As a result of Turkey's involvement and to the active support for the extremist groups, eleven Syrian civil opposition organizations decided to take Turkey to the court for Human Rights in Europe.

The Caucasus "Holy War" in Syria

The extremist group which consists of many different ethnicities from the Caucasus was founded in 2006 under the name "Caucasus Emirate" during the Chechen war against Russia. This Caucasian mobilization is now also in Syria. The terrorists from the Caucasus excel in their brutality. Abu Omar the Chechen, who founded the Hattab brigade very quickly made a name for himself. Several small groups that came from the Caucasus announced their allegiance to Abu Omar the Chechen. In Syria these groups were called the "Turkish Brothers." The Caucasus Emirate has at various times been allied with the Free Syrian Army and Al Qaeda. Lately the group has joined the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Jihadist groups which are terrorising the population of Syria along the Turkish border are well known to Turkey. These jihadists are provided with weapons and communications equipment such as walky-talkies by the Turkish secret service MIT.

One of these jihadist groups is lead by Abu Amer el-Kuwaiti, who controls his operations in the Aleppo area from the Turkish border city of Antakya. Abu Amer el-Kuwaiti is assisted by a person from Dagestan by the name of Magomed Abdurrakhmanov, who uses the code name Abu Banat (in Turkish Ebu Benat). It is this person who is suspected of kidnapping the Bishops. We will return to this shortly.

During the summer of 2013 a video clip appeared on YouTube showing a person brutally cutting off the heads of three men. People in the video, including the killer, speak Russian. You can also hear a Turkish voice that says "sit down, sit down" so that there is a clear view of the slaughter. 

The person who is performing the decapitation in the video is Magomed Abdulrakhmanov, a.k.a. Abu Banat. The brutal slaughter drew the ire of many in many different parts of the world. When these horrible pictures appeared in the media there was speculation about who this man is. Information about Abu Banat's real identity appeared on several Russian websites and forums (here and here). When his identity was disclosed it was learned that he was a police officer in Dagestan who had found his way to Jihad in Syria.

In the beginning of 2013 Abu Banat's group established itself close to the village El-Meshed, which is only five kilometers away from the border crossing at Bab El-Hawa. He married a woman from the village of El-Meshed. Abu Banat wanted to show his authority through brutality. He terrorized the villagers and murdered a villager to set an example. He instituted harsh Sharia laws, such as those who smoke would lose a finger and those who drink alcohol will be punished. News of about Abu Banat's brutality spread. His group engaged in raids and terrorized the surrounding areas.

The group's activities drew attention and rumors started to circulate about a "fantasy camp" with lots of weapons, money, valuables and jihadists who played video games on PlayStations. News of the group's raids and brutality reached the Free Syrian Army, which sent a group of soldiers to investigate. The FSA claims the group never participated in the war against the Syrian regime but devoted itself exclusively to looting. A battle occured between the FSA and Abu Banat's group which resulted in the dissolution of the group.

Abu Banat Is Detained In Istanbul

On April 23, 2013 the police stopped a car outside the city of Konya. In the car they found a Syrian woman and three other persons of Chechen origin. All were missing valid ID documents. The Turkish magazine Radikal reported this event with the headline Orthodox Bishops' murderer arrested in Konya. The magazine also wrote that because these persons did not have valid ID documents they were deported to their home countries.

But that was not so. The police released all of them after they received a residential address in a suburb of Istanbul where the group lives.

With the memory of the brutal decapitation video fresh in his mind, one of the police officers recognized one of the persons in the car. He reported to the police in Istanbul about his suspicions of the group. A local magazine in Konya intercepted the police report and the news spread throughout Turkey. Several magazines wrote that the Bishops' murderer had been arrested in Konya. When the police searched the house at the given address they found weapons and grenades. The group was arrested for violation of the Arms Act and preparation for terrorist attacks. The group has been in police custody since the summer of 2013, in the Maltepe prison in Istanbul.

When the news about the group that was suspected of kidnapping of the Bishops spread, the authorities stated the group had been deported. Why was this stated when in reality the persons where in police custody in Istanbul? The answer was discovered after access to the police investigation report was gained. According to the report, Abu Banat is known to the Turkish secret service MIT, who have supplied him with equipment.

The Turkish Government's Handling of the Events

When the news about the arrest of the suspected murderer of the Bishops spread in Turkey, Bishop Yusuf Cetin of the Syriac Orthodox Church contacted the Turkish government. Secretary of State Ahmet Davutoglu had on several occasions commented on the kidnapping case.

 In a meeting with Syriac Orthodox Church Bishops, Davutoglu said that he had received intelligence reports that the Bishops were still alive and that Turkey is doing everything to save them. Secretary of State Davutoglu had given the impression that they have knowledge of who the kidnappers are. Prime Minister Erdogan also made similar statements when he visited Stockholm and met Assyrian representatives in the beginning of November, 2013. 

As late as last Christmas the former Turkish attorney general Sadullah Ergin said to the Greek Orthodox Church in Hatay the government was working on saving the Bishops. These and many other statements were been given by Turkish officials despite the fact that the Bishops' suspected murderer was in police custody in Istanbul. 

All indications point to the fact that Turkey had a hand in the Bishops' kidnapping and has therefore done everything to hide the truth about the suspected murderer.

On September 29th, 2013 investigative journalist Erkan Metin published a long article on www.suryaniler.com. During his investigation, Mr. Metin discovered that Abu Banat's is Magomed Abdurkhmanov from Dagestan and that he might be in custody. Mr. Metin contacted the police and confirmed that they were holding a person named Magomed Abdurakhmanov -- contrary to press and government reports that he and his group had been deported. Abu Banat's group was in police custody at the Meltepe prison in Istanbul.

Upon further investigation Mr. Metin discovered a link between Abu Banat's group and the kidnapping of the Bishops.

A website (www.kavakazcenter.com) that belongs to the "Caucasus Emirate" featured on July 3, 2013 the headline Russian footsteps in Syria, and claimed that it was the group led by Abu Banat that was behind the kidnapping of the Bishops. The website also stated that Abu Banat is a Russian agent. The website said that according to its sources in Syria, the Bishops had been killed by an explosive belt strapped to their backs (this method is often used by the Taliban in Afghanistan).

But why would Abu Banat, who is a member of the Caucasus Emirate, be disavowed by being identified as a Russian agent?

According to Erkan Metin, the video of the decapitation on YouTube was the breaking point. The Caucasus Emirate wanted to distance itself from a group that had drawn negative attention to itself. This was also confirmed by the Turkish police interrogation of Abu Banat about the decapitation. According to the transcript of the hearing, which was published officially in December 2013, Abu Banat said the following:

It was I who decapitated these three persons. It was the first time I had decapitated a human. But I don't understand why these came up on the Internet. It was something we did every Friday after we sentenced people in the Sharia court. I executed the punishment by decapitation.

When the report of the investigation of Abu Banat's group was released publicly the results of of Erkan Metin's investigation were corroborated -- that the group was responsible for the kidnapping of the Bishops. The following are key findings from the report:

• The police made a superficial hearing and avoided going deeper into the events. No questions were asked about the kidnapping of the Bishops.
• Abu Banat confessed that is was he who decapitated the persons the YouTube video.
• Abu Banat said that he had received walkie-talkies from a person by the name Abu-Cahfer from the Turkish secret service.
• Abu Banat and his companion were injured, probably in the battle with the FSA, and fled from Syria.
• Secret documents which were published during the investigation showed that on April 26th 2013, four days after the kidnapping of the Bishops, the Turkish secret service MIT wrote a report to the state department in Ankara. In this report it described how the Bishops had been taken and moved between different locations before they were finally brought to the village Mashad Ruhin (also called el-Meshad) outside Aleppo. This information tied Abu Banat to the kidnapping of the Bishops. Since his group was using Turkish walkie-talkies, the Turkish secret service MIT monitored the conversations and mapped their activities and movements carefully.
• Abu Banat acknowledged that he had committed both war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ministry of justice refused to file charges on the grounds that this was a Syrian matter.

Questions to Prime Minister Erdogan

Erol Dora, an Assyrian member of the Turkish Parliament, submitted a written question to Prime Minister Erdogan about Turkey's involvement in the kidnapping of the Bishops and the country's relationship to the suspected killer. Erol Dora also asked the justice minister Bekir Bozdag why the ministry refused to try a person who had admitted that he decapitated people in Syria. According to Erol Dora, who is a lawyer, the Turkish constitution says such crimes do not necessarily have to occur in Turkey for the perpetrator to be tried.

Conclusions

Turkey is supporting the Syrian opposition, allowing jihadist to pass through its territory to Syria. Evidence strongly indicates that Turkey knew about the jihadist group lead by Abu Banat, and this group had kidnapped the Bishops. The Turkish secret service, MIT, were in contact with this group and supplied the group with equipment.

The following are interviews with investigative journalist Erkan Metin: Turkish, Assyrian.
Dikran Ego is freelance Journalist living in Sweden; he regularly writes on Assyrian matters and is editor at Assyria TV.

Kidnapped Syrian Bishops Murdered, Killer in Istanbul Prison, Academic Claims.

Kidnapped Syrian Bishops Murdered, Killer in Istanbul Prison, Academic Claims.HT: Aina.

Academic Erkan Metin claims that two bishops -- one Syriac and one Greek Orthodox -- who were abducted in the Syrian city of Aleppo in April, were killed by members of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and their murderer is under arrest in Istanbul.

Agos weekly on Thursday published a story on the kidnapped Metropolitan Paul Yazigi of the Antakya Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Aleppo and Metropolitan John Ibrahim of the Aleppo Syriac Church.

The two bishops were kidnapped in Aleppo on April 22 and there have been no official reports on them since.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry often made statements saying there were ongoing diplomatic efforts to save the bishops. Footage allegedly showing their murder was circulating on the Internet, but officials denied its authenticity.

It has also been claimed that the murderers were captured in the Turkish province of Konya, though officials have also denied these claims.

Metin, who says he conducted a comprehensive independent investigation into the incident, claimed that the bishops were abducted by 70 members of ISIS and have probably been killed by now.

Metin also claims that Ebu Banat, an ISIS leader known for committing wild murders, was part of the kidnapping and alleged murder of the bishops, was arrested and is currently in Istanbul's Maltepe Prison.

Ankara Denies Abducted Bishops Are Held in Turkey, we don't even know if they're still alive.

Ankara Denies Abducted Bishops Are Held in Turkey, we don't even know if they're still alive.HT: Aina.

BEIRUT -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry denied reports that two bishops kidnapped in Syria were being held in Turkish territories, according to a statement issued Wednesday.

Referring to earlier reports circulated on Aug. 12 alleging the bishops were in Turkey, the statement blamed the Syrian government for spreading false information.

"It has been observed that similar allegations are now being repeated by Syrian officials, in the context of their contacts with the Russian Federation," the statement said. "These accusations are completely baseless and untrue."

Aleppo's Greek Orthodox Archbishop Paul Yazigi and Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim were abducted in April by armed men while en route to the northern Syrian city from the Turkish border. They were reportedly on their way to negotiate the release of three priests who are also missing.

Reacting to reports that the kidnappers had been identified and provided evidence that at least one of the two bishops was alive, Lebanese Bishop Boulos Sayyah reiterated that there had been no indication pointing to their imminent release.

"There are no negotiations. If there were negotiations there would have been the beginnings of a resolution," Sayyah told The Daily Star. "This is what is worrying, that there is nothing."

Sayyah added that so far it was not known whether the bishops were alive or who kidnapped them.
"The emir of Qatar promised us explicitly to do his utmost to try and find who kidnapped them, where they are and what their situation is, and if they have demands," Sayyah said, adding that the Qataris had not yet followed up on their vows.

Sayyah also said that the Greek and Syrian Orthodox churches are following up on the issue. "What we find difficult to understand is that they [the bishops] have been kidnapped by one or more factions fighting the [Syrian] government. Somebody must be feeding these people money, arms and support of all sorts. We don't understand how the states that are arming these people cannot step in and [pressure] them [to release the bishops]."

Qatari Emir Vows to Help Secure 'Kidnapped Syrian Bishops' Release.

Qatari Emir Vows to Help Secure 'Kidnapped Syrian Bishops' Release.(Aina).

BEIRUT -- Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani vowed Wednesday to help secure the release of the kidnapped bishops in Syria as Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim held talks with President Bashar Assad over the same issue.

During talks with Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai in Doha, the emir said "he would exert all efforts to resolve the case of the bishops."

He affirmed to Rai his commitment to the Christian presence in Lebanon and the Middle East.
The Qatari emir also said that the Lebanese case is his top priority and that his country supported stability in the tiny Mediterranean state.

Rai had said in remarks upon his departure to Doha Tuesday evening that he would request Qatar's help in winning the release of the bishops who were kidnapped in April near the Syria-Turkey border.

"Certainly, we will ask the emir of Qatar and Qatari officials to put up their best effort with us and with the involved state to determine the fate of the bishops and three other priests kidnapped months ago," Rai said from Beirut airport before heading to Doha on an official visit.

Aleppo's Greek Orthodox Archbishop Paul Yazigi and Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim were abducted in April by armed men near the Turkish border.
Rai also met with Qatari Prime Minister Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim, the head of Lebanon's General Security, met with Assad in Damascus to discuss the case of the bishops, the National News Agency reported.
Ibrahim has been tasked by the Lebanese government to follow up on the case of the bishops in Syria.
Qatar News Agency said Rai expressed to Tamim his "gratitude and appreciation" for Doha's role in securing the weekend release of the nine Lebanese Shiite men held for 17 months by Syrian rebels.
Two Turkish Airlines pilots abducted in Beirut were also released Saturday as part of the swap deal chiefly brokered by Doha.
"We hope that all people wherever they are being unjustly detained be freed," Rai added.
The Maronite Catholic patriarch also expressed hope that Qatar will play a "positive role" just as it did in securing the release last week of nine Lebanese pilgrims in exchange for two Turkish pilots.
Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi whose brother is one of the abducted bishops said that officials were dealing with the case with a high level of seriousness but there were no new developments.
"There is nothing new in their case but we hope and pray," Yazigi told reporters after meeting with Greek religious figures.
"The president, the [caretaker] interior minister and Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim have called me and all the contacts affirm that there is a high level of seriousness toward the issue," he added.
Greek Orthodox Bishop of Mexico Antonios Shadrawi held the international and local community responsible for the continued abduction of the bishops, saying "kidnappings do not frighten us."
He also called for serious efforts to help release the prelates.
In Qatar, Rai also said he would call for closer cooperation between Beirut and Gulf countries.
"When we visit these [Gulf] countries we speak Lebanese as we cannot separate between the various components of Lebanon," he said. "This is Lebanon's value."

Deal Could See Release of Two kidnapped Greek Orthodox Bishops in Syria.

Deal Could See Release of Two kidnapped Greek Orthodox Bishops in Syria.(AINA).

BEIRUT -- A deal running in parallel with efforts to free the nine kidnapped Lebanese in Syria could see the release of two Greek Orthodox bishops who were kidnapped in Lebanon's neighbor earlier this year, the head of the Syriac League told The Daily Star Friday.

"There are positive signs over an imminent release of the two bishops," said Habib Afram.
"We were informed by [General Security chief] Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim that in parallel to the deal to free the Azaz hostages, there is a deal to secure the release of the bishops," he said.

Aleppo's Greek Orthodox Archbishop Paul Yazigi and Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim were kidnapped on April 22 by armed men while en route to Aleppo from the Turkish border.
They are reportedly being held by a small group of rebels in the Syrian town of Bshaqtin, 20 kilometers northwest of Aleppo.
Afram said that the Turks, who are helping to resolve the case of the Lebanese hostages in Syria, informed Ibrahim that they were also working to secure the release of the two bishops."They said they [bishops] might be released before Eid al-Adha and they reassured us that they are fine," he said.
A report published in An-Nahar daily Friday said the two bishops are scheduled to take part in a conference on Oct. 25 in the capital of Liechtenstein.
According to the daily, their inclusion on the list of guests lends support to reports the two prelates will be released soon.
Optimism has been high recently over the release of the nine Lebanese hostages who have been held in Syria for over 14 months.
A source close to the case said the nine could be released before the Eid al-Adha holiday next week.
Ibrahim, tasked with following up on the case, headed to Turkey Thursday night as part of his efforts to resolve the case of the Lebanese abductees.

Turkey denies "FORGOTTEN" kidnapped Syrian bishops held in Turkey.

Turkey denies "FORGOTTEN" kidnapped Syrian bishops held in Turkey.(HD).

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has dismissed the claims that two kidnapped Syrian bishops were held in Turkey. 

Greek Orthodox Bishop Boulos Yaziji and Syriac Orthodox Bishop Yohanna Ibrahim were kidnapped April 22 in Syria by armed men en route from the Turkish border. “These claims are totally unrealistic. It is clear that these claims, which we regret, serve some circles’ own interests and aim to leave Turkey in a difficult situation,” the written statement said, referring to some reports that the clergymen were being held inside Turkey.
“It is beneficial to reiterate these facts: Turkey wishes for the bishops to be released as soon as possible and to that end it is making every effort. But, the abduction took place outside Turkey so efforts are limited. Within this framework, Turkey, like many other countries, is making contributions to secure their release.”Hmmm.....'But, the abduction took place outside Turkey so efforts are limited'......Easyer to get weapons or Mc Cain to the rebels? Read the full story here.

Maronite, Orthodox Leaders Call for Release of Kidnapped Syrian Bishops, while Obama arms the Rebels.

Maronite, Orthodox Leaders Call for Release of Kidnapped Syrian Bishops, while Obama arms the Rebels.(AINA).

BEIRUT -- Lebanon's Maronite Catholic patriarch and Syria's Greek Orthodox patriarch called for the release of two Orthodox bishops kidnapped in Syria. "We demand the kidnappers and the countries concerned" to release the two bishops and the two priests kidnapped before them, and all those who have been kidnapped on Syrian territory, said Lebanese Cardinal Bechara Rai, the Maronite patriarch, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X in a joint statement from Bkerke, the Maronite patriarchate north of Beirut.

"We express our sorrow and regret for the continuation of the cycle of violence in Syria, which kills people and destroys their homes," the two religious leaders said in their appeal on behalf of Orthodox Metropolitan Paul of Aleppo and Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan Gregorios Yohanna of Aleppo. The Orthodox leaders were kidnapped April 22 in northern Syria while on a humanitarian mission.

Cardinal Rai and Patriarch John also urged all Lebanese parties, as well as regional and international powers to end their involvement in the Syrian conflict. "On the contrary, we appeal to everyone to work for peace, safeguard the history of Syria and its civilization, which dates back to centuries," they said. 

The cardinal and the patriarch called for "a political solution through dialogue and negotiation" to the Syrian conflict that is "fair and equitable for all." They emphasized that such a solution should be generated internally and not imposed on the Syrian people from outside powers. They urged countries in the region, the international community and international institutions "to carry out their responsibilities towards displaced Syrians" and to help Lebanon as it struggles to host and accommodate more than 1 million displaced Syrians.
However, they said, what is needed is "the foundation to stop the violence and war, so that the displaced people can return to their homes and lands as soon as possible." "We ask God to inspire all consciences ... to work to bring about a just and comprehensive peace, and respect for the dignity and sanctity of human life," they said.Hmmmm......."The future does not belong to those who slander the prophet."Read the full story here.

"The Silence On The Bishops" - Syrian Opposition Leader Says he Doesn't Know Bishops' Whereabouts.

"The Silence On The Bishops" -Syrian Opposition Leader Says he Doesn't Know Bishops' Whereabouts.HT: Aina.

The leader of the Syrian opposition coalition is backing away from previous reports that he is certain of the location and condition of two Syrian Orthodox bishops kidnapped April 22.

George Sabra, president of the Syrian National Coalition, told World Watch Monitor on May 21 he is not informed of the movement of the bishops from day to day, or of the identity of the captors. This is a change from May 7 statements attributed to Sabra during a meeting of Middle East leaders in Beirut.

Sabra also told World Watch Monitor the coalition is "doing our best" to expel the handful of Muslims who have come from Europe at the urging of jihadist groups with al-Qaeda links who count themselves among the broader Syrian opposition movement.

Yohanna Ibrahim, head of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Aleppo, was kidnapped alongside his counterpart from the Greek Orthodox Church, Boulos Yaziji, after travelling to the Turkish border in an attempt to secure the release of two priests kidnapped in February. Their driver, Fathallah Kaboud, later was killed.

Apart from an early flurry of erroneous reports that the clerics had been released, little was heard about their whereabouts, who snatched them, or why.

That changed May 7 when Amin Gemayel, former president of Lebanon and current leader of its Kataeb Party, held a meeting in his Beirut office.

"The bishops are in good health and are being held by a small group in a town called Bshaqtin, 20 kilometers northwest of Aleppo," Sabra told Gemayel by phone during the meeing, according to the Lebanon Star.

Attending the meeting were Deputy Bishop of Aleppo Joseph Shabo, Mount Lebanon's Syriac Orthodox Bishop George Saliba, Beirut's Bishop Daniel Koriyeh and Syriac League President Habib Afram.

Afram told World Watch Monitor the group had sought the meeting with Gemayel to seek his help securing the bishops' release. Instead, he said, they heard Sabra tell them he was powerless to help.

"During our meeting, Syrian opposition leader George Sabra spoke with both Cheikh Gemayel and Bishop Saliba over the phone. Sabra claimed that he knows where the abducted bishops are and who the kidnappers are. I find it outrageous that one of the most powerful leaders of the Syrian opposition says he knows where they are but can't do anything to release them."

Afram, Secretary General of the Union of Lebanese Christian Leagues and a prominent defender of the fate of Christians in the Middle East, said Sabra's inability to secure the release of the bishops has troubling implications for the future of Christians in Syria.

"Sabra said things like: 'This is not giving a good impression of our revolution and we promise to take all possible actions to get them released'. But that is only words," Afram said. "We emphasized that if he can't control his own area -- the place where the bishops were kidnapped -- then how can he claim that he can change Syria for the better? And how will he be able to make Christians remain in Syria?"

Contacted May 21 by World Watch Monitor, Sabra gave a less certain accounting of the bishops than he was reported to give May 7. "You know that the bishops are moved always day by day or from week to week. So therefore we don't know the place exactly," he said.

He also said the coalition isn't sure who is behind the kidnappings.

"About this we have different information, we have new news that we will check. We have news that they are in Aleppo. We can't say that this information is real; we have to check."

When asked how he knows the bishops are moved, if anyone has spoken to them, and if there is any evidence they are alive, he replied: "you know, by our people inside Syria that interrogated the groups."

"Really we believe that they are alive," he said. "But there is no clear picture of that. We are doing our best, but right now we didn't succeed."

Still, when pressed, Sabra acknowledged one similarity to Iraq of grave concern to resident Christians: the presence of imported Islamist militants, some of them aligned with al-Qaeda. An April report by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, at London's King's College, estimates that somewhat less than 10 percent of the opposition fighters are from outside Syria, and that between 7 percent and 10 percent of that fraction come from Europe.

"We are sorry to hear about that," Sabra said. "We were informed about two young people from Belgium. Believe me, we are doing our best to contact these people and to operate with the European community and the European governments to save their lives and send them back home to their countries safely."

Meanwhile, Afram said he meets with Christians that have fled Syria every day in his office in Lebanon. "People are kidnapped on a daily basis for ransom or just to scare them to leave," he said. "Christians are systematically targeted by kidnappings."

He said if the bishops are alive, Sabra should employ the power of his position to win their release.

"George Sabra should act and he should show leadership capability, or leave," Afram said. "He should exercise direct involvement, even take risks to go himself with the army of the opposition to negotiate the release of the bishops; make a clear statement regarding his [objection] that bishops were treated like this."Hmmmmm......Notice the 'Silence of the US President.'.......Who remembers the Syrian bishops anyway?Read the full story here.

By Nuri Kino
http://www.worldwatchmonitor.org