Scottish Catholic Observer

AS ANOTHER priest is kidnapped in Syria, local Christians fear Islamic extremists have seized him.

Fr Jacques Mourad was travelling in Qaryatayn with a co-worker yesterday when two motorcycles drew up alongside their car. The kidnappers seized the vehicle and abducted the Jesuit priest.

Qaryatayn is a small town around 65 miles (100 km) southwest of Palmyra, which was seized by the extremist group Islamic State on Wednesday.

For the past 12 years Fr Mourad had been ministering to Qaryatayn’s Syriac Catholic community. Fr Nawras Sammour, the director of the Jesuit Refugee Services for the Middle East, told Aid to the Church in Need: “We still have no news of him. We only know that he was abducted by four men, undoubtedly belonging to a jihadist group.”

Fr Sammour described how, over the last few days, Fr Jacques had welcomed refugees from Palmyra, who had fled to Deir Mar Musa monastery where he was living. The monastery is about 50 miles (80 km) north of Damascus.

“He has always helped the Syrians and has welcomed a great many Muslims into the monastery of Mar Elias,” Fr Sammour said.

He told Aid to the Church in Need that Fr Jacques had continued his ministry in the area, even though he was aware of the growing threat from extremists. Speaking from Damascus, Fr Sammour recalled that Fr Jacques was apprehensive at their last meeting around two months ago.

“He was extremely concerned about the presence of the fundamentalists in Qaryatayn,” the director of the Jesuit Refugee Service said.

But he added that in the past Fr Jacques had negotiated with the Islamist rebel militia Al Nusra Front to secure the release of hostages.

“When I asked him if he was intending to leave, he told me that he would do so only if forced—otherwise he would remain with his people,” he said.

The Jesuit said the abduction of this priest was being interpreted by many as a sign that Islamic State would try to capture Homs.

Recalling the abduction of Fr Dall’Oglio and Bishops Yohanna Ibrahim and Bulos Yazigi—as well as the killings of Fr François Mourad and Fr Frans Van Der Lugt—Fr Sammour said priests working in the region knew the dangers.

“We priests are fully aware of the risks we run, but we cannot do otherwise than remain alongside the Syrian people, both Christians and Muslims,” he said.  “In many cases we are the only ones they have to turn to.”

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