Afghan militia leader vows to kill converts

KABUL, Afghanistan — The supreme leader of Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban militia warned Jan. 8 that his regime will apply the death penalty to any Muslim who converts to another faith.

Monitored over Radio Shariat, Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar declared that any Afghan caught professing Christianity or Judaism would be executed, as required by the strict Islamic law enforced under Taliban rule. Omar also specified that “any non-Muslim found trying to win converts will also be killed.”

Of necessity, secret Christian believers in Afghanistan have remained invisible since the Taliban takeover, both in terms of identity and numbers. Two Afghan men suspected of converting to Christianity were reported hanged by the Taliban in 1998.