[Buddha-l] Buddhist extremists brutally attack Catholic church in Sri Lanka

[Katherine Masis]

This came out over a month ago.  Had anyone on Buddha-L seen this?  Apologies for not knowing how to convert long url's into tiny ones!
 
Katherine Masis
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Buddhist extremists brutally attack Catholic church in Sri Lanka

Rome, Italy, Dec 11, 2009 / 12:59 pm (CNA).- More than 1,000 Buddhist extremists
armed with clubs, swords and stones ferociously attacked a Catholic church in
the town of Crooswatta, Sri Lanka on December 6, destroying the altar, statues
and pews.

L'Osservatore Romano reported that Father Jude Denzil Lakshman, pastor of Our
Lady of the Mystical Rose, said "I still can hear their shouts in my ears, `Cut
him to pieces, kill him'."

The attack took place after the 7 p.m., Sunday Mass, leaving several
parishioners wounded. "It is obvious that the attack was well-planned and that
the mob waited for us to come out after Mass," Father Lakshman said.

One parishioner told the Archdiocese of Colombo that as the congregation was
leaving the evening Mass, they saw a mob coming towards them.

The parishioner added that the mob "set fire to Fr. Lakshman's car and then
someone attempted to strike him with a sword," but a young man heroically pulled
him away.

The extremists "then damaged all other motor bikes, ordinary cycles of the poor
people including a three-wheeler. Some persons armed with swords and batons went
on beating the people. There are six Catholics in the hospital with cuts and
injuries."

The archdiocese noted that Air Force personnel were deployed immediately to
bring the mob under control. Guards are still in the area to guarantee the
safety of the faithful, which include 293 families.

As of now, police have arrested 11 suspects from Buddhist extremist groups that
have attacked the church in the past.
 
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/buddhist_extremists_brutally_attack_catholic_church_in_sri_lanka/