Savages

This story is really disturbing. The body of Paulos Rahho, who was kidnapped in Iraq last month, was found half-buried in an empty lot in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Thursday. There has been no word on whether he was killed or if he died due to other causes. Rahho was abducted on February 29 after gunmen attacked his car and killed his driver and two guards. Prime Minister al-Maliki blamed his death on al Qaeda and stressed that the Iraqi government was committed to protecting Christians, who make up about 3 percent of the population in Iraq.

Rahho (above, photo credit: Reuters, Paul Haring, Catholic News Service) was part of a branch of the Roman Catholic Church that forms the biggest Christian community in Iraq. Rahho was known in Mosul for his work with poor people and the handicappped.

The Bush Administration branded Rahho's death as murder.

"We offer our condolences to the church on the murder of the Chaldean archbishop in Iraq," White House spokesman Tony Fratto said of the fate of Mosul Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho, who was abducted February 29.

"This demonstrates the brutality that the civilized world faces from extremists and we urge Iraqis to stand together under a modern constitution that protects people from all faiths," said Fratto.

Rahho travelled to Rome last year, where he met with the Pope. The above photo (credit: AP Photo, Courtesy of Rev. Amer Youkhanna.) was taken last November. The photo shows Archbishop Rahho (left) shaking hands with Pope Benedict (right) at the Vatican.