wfn.org | GOAA - ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS CONDEMNS RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS

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NEWS RELEASE

November 26, 2003

ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS CONDEMNS RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS

NEW YORK ? His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox
Church in America and Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, issued a
statement condemning the recent terrorist attacks in Constantinople.

On Nov. 17, two days after the brutal attacks against two synagogues in
Istanbul, Archbishop Demetrios visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate in
Constantinople and, together with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew, viewed the site of the devastating terrorist destruction at
one of the synagogues, visited the Chief Rabbi of Constantinople Isaac
Haleva at his headquarters and expressed his heartfelt condolences to the
Jewish community and the victims' families.

Two days later, a second terrorist attack against British targets killed 26
people including Roger Short, the United Kingdom's Consul General in
Istanbul, with whom Archbishop Demetrios had dinner just the day before, on
the occasion of the new Archbishop of Canterbury visiting the Ecumenical
Patriarchate.

Upon returning to the United States, Archbishop Demetrios made the
following statement:

"I was appalled to witness the terrible destruction and senseless loss of
life at the two synagogues in Constantinople. I share in the deep sorrow of
the victims' families and I strongly condemn these and all terrorist
attacks against people at prayer be it Jews, Christians or Moslems, and I
urge adherence to the UN resolution (May 31, 2001) that protects and
preserves religious sites and cultural heritage around the world."

In every corner of the universe, mankind is experiencing extremely
difficult and unpredictable times. Let us work for peace, religious freedom
and tolerance, and pray fervently that the Divine wisdom and love for one
another will settle and reign in the hearts and minds of all human beings."

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