OVER the last few years, and indeed since the start of the conflict in Iraq, much has been said about the plight of Muslims. But not once have I heard anything said about the Christian population.

My attention was only brought to this matter at my local church by a visiting missionary who, during his appeal for funds to enable them to carry on with missionary work in countries all over the world, asked for prayers to be said for the Christian being persecuted in Iraq.

A few days later one Sunday newspaper did carry a story on these atrocities but only rated it as Page 35 news.

The fact that on one Sunday, five Roman Catholic churches were car bombed within hours of each other, that Christian women would be raped or murdered unless they covered up, the fact that Christian owned shops are firebombed on a regular basis, the fact that Christians are being kidnapped every day, all these atrocities and all they rated was Page 35 if mentioned at all.

Had these five churches been mosques, I have no doubt that it would have been front page headlines.

J ALLAN (Mr), Rothesay Road, Blackburn.