Attacks leave churches gutted and religious minorities living in fear
Mob's rampage in Pakistan after rumours of Qur'an desecration worries communities that usually live in peace
Declan Walsh in Sangla Hill
Monday November 28, 2005
The Guardian

The enraged mob had already scaled the walls of the Roman Catholic compound in Sangla Hill as Fr Samson Dilawar hurriedly ushered his charges to safety.

Nuns, teachers and 23 terrified schoolgirls crammed into a small upstairs room of the besieged convent as more than 1,500 men, incensed by rumours of Qur'an desecration, swarmed outside. Fr Dilawar watched from the roof as they smashed the altar of the parish church, tore up copies of the Bible and shattered the stained-glass windows. They sprayed fuel over his house and a girls' school next door. Minutes later flames were licking the walls and black smoke filled the sky.

Finally they crashed through the heavy convent door, sending the priest running for safety into the room where nine nuns were praying. "They tried to break the door down but did not succeed. Otherwise we could have all been killed," he said. The rest