Turkey: Malatya Martyrs

The 36-year-old Turkish believer, Necati, was thrilled to be playing the role of Jesus Christ in an Easter production. Born into an Islamic family, Necati converted to Christianity in 1994. Sitting in the audience that Easter morning were five Muslim men who had befriended Necati. According to Turkish authorities, the men wanted to know more about Christianity. However, Pastor Ihsan Ozbek clarifies, "They were pretending to be seekers."

Ten days later, on April 18th, 2007, the perpetrators' true intensions unravelled in a brutal attack that would shake Turkey's tiny Christian community. The five men stormed into Necati's office on the fourth floor of a building. Armed with kitchen knives, the men tied up Necati and two other Christians: 46-year-old German citizen Tilman Geske; and 32-year-old Ugur Yuksel, another Turkish convert from Islam. All three bound victims were then tragically killed.

Length: 6:17
January 21 2010