Fresh claim on Syrian Jesuit

Syria – There has been a fresh claim from within the country that the missing Jesuit priest, Fr Paolo Dall’Oglio is still alive. According to BosNewsLife, Christians who are working locally to find the priest who went missing on July 29, insist that he is alive, though no further details were offered by way of verifying the claim.

The latest claim was made by Archdeacon Emanuel Youkhana of the Assyrian Church in the East during a meeting at the European Parliament.

Fr Dall’Oglio was reportedly en route to a meeting with the radical Jabhat al Nusra group to negotiate the release of hostages when he was seen being bundled into a car on a street in the town of Raqaa.

Because the priest had assured supporters that he would return within days of his proposed meeting, worst fears for his safety have been expressed, but as with the missing Bishops Yohanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yaziji – kidnapped in April – there has been no trace of the Jesuit since.