Cardinal Filoni: Iraqi people must be defended

(Vatican Radio) Cardinal Fernando Filoni, the special envoy of Pope Francis to Iraq, has called the actions of the so-called Islamic State “Devil things.”

Cardinal Filoni, who is Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour “no one can use the name, or in the name of God, to do things like this.”

Watch the full video of Cardinal Filoni’s interview with CNN here

The Islamic State, also called ISIS or ISIL, has taken control of large sections of both Iraq and Syria.  Cardinal Filoni was Apostolic Nuncio to Iraq from 2001-2006, and was asked by Pope Francis to make a special mission to the country in August. 

When asked by CNN if he supported war in Iraq, Cardinal Filoni said he did not want to use the word “war”.

“The Holy Father many times spoke about no war,” He said. “But we are not talking now about war; we are talking about something different.”

The Cardinal said those “who are in need” must be defended, and if the Iraqi government are not in a position to do this, then “someone else” must take up this duty.

“Somebody – a group of terrorists, which are well-equipped, with money, with people, with ideological minds – they attacked people who no one of them had any arms to defend themselves; no equipment, just very simple poor farmers, families, people living in the villages their lives, peaceful people,” he told CNN.

“We are part of these people, they are part of our humanity, they are Christians, they are Yazidis, they are the minorities, no matter – all of them they need our support,” he continued.