Pope: Christians killed in Libya in 2015 were 'witnesses of Jesus'

In 2015, a video had released by the jihadist Islamic State group (IS) on YouTube shows the beheading of more than a dozen men – purportedly Egyptian Christians – on a beach they said was in Libya's Tripoli.

 

 

Egypt's presidency confirmed the death of Egyptian hostages and announced a week of mourning, offering condolences to all Egyptians. The National Defence Council has also convened to discuss the situation, while President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said Egypt reserves its right to retaliate at the suitable time and place.

 

The five-minute video, produced by IS' media organ Alhayat Media Center, shows in a Hollywood style a group of masked men dressed in black from head to toe. They lead another group of men whose hands are tied behind their backs and wearing orange jumpsuits.

After keeping them on their knees for a while, the men in black lay the victims face down and slit their throats using daggers. After the decapitation they place the heads on the bodies.

A masked militant donning military camouflage uniform – the only IS member not wearing the black uniform in the video – speaks fluent English, albeit with a foreign accent, before and after the execution.

 

"Oh people, recently you've seen us on the hills of Al-Sham [Greater Syria] and on Dabeq's Plain, chopping off the heads that had been carrying the cross delusion for a long time, filled with spite against Islam and Muslims, and today we… are sending another message: oh crusaders, safety for you will be only wishes."

 

"Especially when you're fighting us all together, therefore we will fight you all together until the war lays down its burdens and Jesus peace be upon him will descend, breaking the cross, killing the swine," the speaker continues.

 

He concludes with a reference to Osama Bin Laden, the Al-Qaeda leader who was killed by US forces in 2011. "The sea you've hidden Sheikh Osama Bin Laden's body in, we swear to Allah we will mix it with your blood."

 

The extremely graphic video, titled A Message Signed with Blood to the Nation of the Cross, ends with a shot of sea water mixed with blood, with jihadist hymns played.