Colombia: Pastors facing death threats, assassination attempts by extortionists, kidnappers

Source: Christian Post

By Stoyan Zaimov - Posted at the Christian Post:

A watchdog group that monitors Christian persecution worldwide reports that large numbers of church leaders in Colombia are being subjected to death threats, and many pastors have already been assassinated.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide revealed in a report last week that as much as 12.6 percent of all religious leaders in Bogotá have received death threats.

The threats are mostly coming from illegal armed groups that carry out extortion and kidnappings, meaning that leftist guerrilla groups, right-wing neo-paramilitary groups and other criminal entities are behind the attacks.

One pastor, Martínez Pérez of Nueva Filadelfia Church, was assassinated on Sept. 16 outside his home in Antioquia, forcing his wife and five adult children to flee the village in fear.

Read more here.