News / North Africa

Libya detains second American for preaching 'evangelism'

Thursday, 13 April 2023 6:37 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 13 April 2023 7:14 PM ]

Libyan soldiers participate in a ceremony following the completion of training on Nov. 22, 2020.

The Libyan Internal Security Agency says police have detained a US citizen for inviting to convert to Christianity.

The American was arrested for "inciting our children to renounce Islam and convert to Christianity," the agency said in a statement on Thursday. It accused the American of operating "in the company of his wife as a missionary on behalf of the organization 'Assemblies of God' in order to seduce the sons of our Muslim people."

Assemblies of God is a missionary organization based in the state of Arkansas.

The arrest came a day after another American citizen in Tripoli was detained on a similar ground. While security forces have not named the man arrested on Wednesday, Libyan media identified him as Jeff Wilson,

Two Libyans were also arrested for conversion to Christianity. They have confessed how they were convinced by foreigners to convert.

Islam is the dominant religion in Libya. There are also small Christian communities. In recent years, Libyans say many missionaries are working under disguise of aid agencies but distributing Christian literature.

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