Malaysian Christian Churches Firebombed | Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)

Media reports have described the ongoing violence against Christian churches in Malaysia, reportedly over disputes over the use of the word “Allah,” with extremists claiming that Malaysian Christians have no right to use the Arabic word which simply translates to “God.”

AsiaNews reports that Christian churches have been attacked throughout Malaysia, “three Protestant and one Catholic church.”

The Catholic Herald Malaysia reported that the Catholic Church of Assumption in Petaling Jaya was attacked with a molotov cocktail while worshippers were inside.

The Herald reports that the “Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan confirmed the attacks, saying the first attack was by motorcyclists who threw a helmet filled with flammable liquid at the Metro Tabernacle Church in Desa Melawati, causing a fire that burned books and chairs near here, at midnight. Its administrative office was gutted in the attack.”

The Herald also reports that another attack “took place at the Life Chapel Church in Section 17, Petaling Jaya at 9am, where two Molotov cocktails, also thrown by a motorcyclist, exploded to blacken the walls of the porch and upper-story window of the two-story church building.”

The Herald further reports that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan “also confirmed that he has a received a phone call from an undisclosed church saying there have been threats against them.”

A Kuala Lumpur police officer inspects the damage to the Metro Tabernacle Church which was destroyed by a fire bomb in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Desa Melawati,08 Jan 2010 (Photo AP)

Catholic Herald Malaysia Online: Muslim protests after Friday prayers following church attacks
— “Allah for Muslim Only” — protesters say issue must be brought before a Sharia court