According to an Arabic report published today on Aleteia.org, back on January 8, 2014, yet another Christian man was beheaded and his body stabbed with a crucifix, by U.S.-sponsored “freedom-fighters.”
Two young Christian men, Fadi and Firas, were traveling by car, from Homs to the Christian village of Marmarita, when they were stopped and assaulted by five armed jihadis, who opened fire on the car.
According to the report, “And when the mujahidin [jihadis] approached the car, they noticed that Fadi was wearing a cross around his neck, so they decided to decapitate him and plant the cross in his chest.”
They also beat his companion, Firas, leaving him for dead on the ground, and proceeded to plunder their car, stealing money and documents.
However, he recovered — waking only to see his friend’s decapitated and stabbed body — and, wounded and on foot, reached the village of al-Mushtaya, where he was transferred to a hospital.
Update: Agenzia Fides confirms this report: “Islamist groups have killed and beheaded a young Christian man, seriously wounding another… A group of five armed jihadists intercepted the vehicle and opened fire on the car. Upon reaching the car, militiamen, noting that Fadi was wearing a cross around his neck, beheaded him.”
Fides, however, does not mention the cross stabbing recorded in the Arabic report. Did Fides deem it too graphic, inciting, hate-promoting, or whatever, opting to omit? At any rate, both English and Arabic language reports make clear that it was the sight of the crucifix that prompted the jihadis to murder Fadi. That alone is indicative of extreme vehemence for the Christian cross and those who wear it.