Staff/Compass Direct News

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (BP)--Christian importers of Bibles that Malaysian officials detained are balking at conditions the government has imposed for their release, such as defacement of the sacred books with official stamps.

LAHORE, Pakistan (BP)--A death sentence against a Pakistani mother of five is being appealed, according to attorneys for the Christian woman, Asia Noreen, who has been sentenced to die by hanging for allegedly speaking ill of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam.

LAHORE, Pakistan (BP)--A Christian in Faisalabad district and his 20-year-old daughter were released Dec. 14 after 14 grueling months in jail on false charges of blaspheming the Quran.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (BP)--Christian sources in Vietnam report that some 40,000 people gathered in a hastily constructed venue in Ho Chi Minh City to worship God, celebrate Christmas and hear a Gospel message on Dec. 11 -- an event of unprecedented magnitude.       A popular Vietnamese Christian website and other reports indicated up to 8,000 people indicated a desire to follow Christ in response to the Gospel message, Compass Direct News reported Dec. 14.       For the last two years, authorities surprisingly granted permission to unregistered house churches in Ho Chi Minh City to hold public Christmas rallies, and last year more than 10,000 people participated in one in Tao Dan Stadium, Compass reported.       This year house church leaders approached the government in October and asked for a sports stadium seating 30,000.

GOJRA, Pakistan (BP)--Islamic extremists Aug. 1 set ablaze more than 50 houses and a church in northeastern Pakistan following an accusation of "blasphemy" of the Quran, leaving at least 14 Christians dead, sources said.       The dead include women and children, with several other burn victims unable to reach hospitals for medical care, according to the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS). The attack came amid a protest by thousands of Muslim Islamists -- including members of banned militant groups -- that resulted in another six people dying when participants shot at police and officers responded with tear gas and gunfire.       The same rumor of desecration of the Quran that led to the Aug. 1 massive protest and attack in the northeastern city of Gojra also prompted an arson assault July 30 by Islamic extremists on the village of Korian, seven miles from Gojra, that gutted 60 houses.       Punjab Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah reportedly said an initial investigation of allegations of the Quran being blasphemed indicated "there has not been any incident of desecration."       Because of the earlier assault in Korian, Pakistani officials were already in the area and had sought reinforcements to help control the Aug. 1 demonstration in Gojra, but security forces were slow to respond, according to CLAAS.       "There were unaccountable people in the mob and they were out of control because only four police constables were trying to stop the mob of thousands of people," a CLAAS report said.       Crowd size and attacks grew, and Islamists managed to block main roads and railways to keep fire brigades from fighting the house fires, according to CLAAS. With authorities also blocking roads to keep more Muslim extremists from entering from neighboring villages, clerics at local mosques broadcast messages that those "who love Muhammad and Islam should gather with them to defend the Islam because it is in danger," according to CLAAS.       In response to the police road closures, Islamists became more aggressive and began burning property using firearms and explosives in nearby hamlets where primarily Christians live, according to CLAAS.