Firebombs Follow Pope’s Remark About Islam

Criticism against Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks about Islam escalated Saturday with the firebombing of two West Bank churches.

A group calling itself the Lions of Monotheism claimed responsibility for attacks on an Anglican and a Greek Orthodox church in Nablus, which it said were to protest the pope’s remarks about Islam.

During a speech in Germany this week, Benedict cited a medieval text that described parts of Islam in the 14th century as evil and inhuman. The pope did not say he agreed with the text.

The pope, back in Italy, is upset at the way his remarks have been interpreted, the BBC reported Saturday.

The network also said his planned visit to Turkey in November — the pope’s first to a Muslim country — is now in doubt.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended Benedict, telling Germany’s Bild newspaper the pontiff, in a call for inter-religious dialogue, renounced all forms of violence in the name of religion.