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The Islamic State has hijacked a Sydney Catholic church website and replaced its homepage with a graphic video and threatening message.
The video relayed footage of gruesome deaths of Islamic State victims who have been beheaded, shot and even burned alive in the Middle East.
“Hacked by Islamic State”, the text on the black homepage read on the Our Lady of Mercy Syriac Catholic Church website, based in Concord in Sydney’s west.
“We don’t negotiate except with cannon, we don’t have dialogues except with guns,” the text said.
The hack also stated that the group would not stop fighting until it prays “in Rome by Allah’s will in a conquest”.
The church community affected is mostly from Iraq and Syria.
Parish priest Fr Rahal Dergham told Daily Mail Australia they first felt shock followed by “a big wave of anger and hurt” when they realised their website had been hacked.
“We have our families still under the threat of ISIS and the majority has been hurt, displaced or raped,” Fr Dergham said.
“I don’t think at this stage we have any fear. We’ve lost everything.
“They [the church members] feel a big loss has happened.
“We’re always hoping that at one stage ISIS would be defeated and we would be back to our towns and churches and monasteries and villages and properties, and business as usual.
“[But] people have lost hope.”
He said the church community had been seeking a peaceful way of life.
“Hopefully Australia will always be a safe country and safe home for all of us.”
The church’s website was restored later on Thursday.
In a Facebook post on Thursday afternoon, the church said they believed the attack had been fuelled by the church’s appeal to help and shelter displaced Syrian and Iraqi refugees.
The incident has been reported to Australian authorities.
Last week, four Kosovo citizens were arrested in Italy on suspicion of condoning terrorism after online threats were made against Pope Francis.
The threats included claims that Francis will be the last Pope.
Sources
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News category: World.
