Canucki Copts Ask Cops To Step Up Security in Wake of Cairo Church Attack

They're worried the same thing could happen here.

Update: And what'll they do should police fail to heed their call and show up to protect them for Coptic Christmas Eve services on the 7th?

Police have not committed to showing up at the Church of the Virgin Mary and St. Athanasius in Mississauga for midnight mass. Father Saad said he’s mulling private security as a “last resort," though he’s uncomfortable with hiring guards. “This is not my job."

What an odd comment--and rather hard to fathom; in case the good Father hasn't noticed, private security has been protecting Jewish synagogues in these parts for years.

I hate to bring it up, but the line that seems apropos in this context is the one that begins, "First they came for the Jews..."

Update: The Toronto Sun reported last month (prior to the Cairo bombing church bombing) that the Harper government is taking the threats very seriously:

OTTAWA - The federal government says it is taking online threats against Canadian citizens seriously after reports an al-Qaida linked website has targeted up to 100 Canadians who are Arab Christians and have spoken out against radical Islam.

“The Canadian government strongly condemns the threats made against Canadian residents who simply by practising their religion are being targeted by those who would spread their hate and fanaticism,” Public Safety Minister Vic Toews told reporters in Winnipeg.

“Threats of this kind against Canadian residents cannot and will not shake our resolve to respect and welcome people regardless of their religious beliefs. The right to practise one's religion free from intimidation is one of the fundamental pillars of a free and open society.”

Names, photos and even phone numbers of the Canadians, mostly Coptic Christians who originally hail from Egypt, have been posted on the Shumukh-al-Islam website. The siteis viewed by security experts as an official voice for the al-Qaida terrorist network and calls for the beheading of Coptic Christians for defaming Islam.

“This is a very grave situation when you have the long arm of al-Qaida providing cellphone numbers and photos for Canadians, apparently to target them for death,” said lawyer and intelligence expert David Harris.

The fact photos and phone numbers accompany the names of those targeted is believed to mean someone inside Canada is providing the information.

The RCMP and CSIS are aware of the threats but the government won't comment further...

Since this exquisitely sensitive bollocks is what passes for wisdom in RCMP quarters, I think I'd spring for those security guards, Father.