Church reactions in India, Bangladesh, Philippines, over Bin Laden’s death

(May 02, 2011) Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Catholic Church in neighbouring India, hoped the Al Qaeda leader’s death would not lead to retaliatory attacks. Father Babu Joseph, spokesperson of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), regretted that Bin Laden had met a violent death. “The Church never endorses violence or associates with violence. Violence perpetrated by religion is never acceptable to any civilized society.” Some Indian Muslims reacted to Bin Laden’s death by blaming the United States for his radicalization.
The Catholic Church of Bangladesh also condemned the hatred that Bin Laden encouraged and propagated. However, Bishop Bejoy D’Cruze of Khulna, the chairman of Bangladesh’s Catholic Bishops’ Commission for Christian Unity and Interreligious Dialogue said, “No killing is welcomed. A criminal should be brought to trial and be duly prosecuted.” Nevertheless he added, “I don’t know if Bin Laden or Al Qaeda had any connection with Bangladeshi militants or not. But it’s sure they were encouraged and inspired by his activities, which will decline, I believe.”
In the Philippines, Catholic Church leaders advised the government to prepare for possible retaliation from Bin Laden loyalists. “His followers in different places might retaliate because of what happened to him,” said Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez. Similar fear was also echoed by Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez of Marbel. Bishop Martin Jumoad of Isabela prelature meanwhile said the terrorists’ death was a “triumph of good over evil.” People feared there would be retaliation not only against the military and the government but against innocent civilians.