Two gunmen stormed Roman Catholic Santa Maria church in Istanbul during Sunday mass. It is the first time the Islamic terrorist group targets a place of worship in Turkey.

A pastor, two of his sons and three other worshippers died. “Europe must stand united against the persecution of Christians in Africa”, said Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament.

Witnesses said the gunman yelled “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest, in Arabic). The suspect was on the “Fiche S” list of potential security threats.

“Such an army would need to be subordinated to a common government”,  says political analyst Olaf Bernárdez. Some evangelicals say more military is not the solution.

The President of the European Parliament invites the family of the Christian woman to Brussels. Antonio Tajani: “Pakistani government must uphold Human Rights commitments”.

During a plenary session, the President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani called for her immediate release.