HORRIFIC: Islamic Jihadist ISIS destroys the shrine of revered Christian figure

Militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) set about destroying centuries old Iraqi tombstones and graves in the north-west city of Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, in Ninevah province, and their actions were caught on video.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The men wore balaclavas and black coats, the signature color of ISIS, as they devastated the burial sites with sledgehammers. One of the desecrated tombs belonged to the Prophet Jonah, who is revered by Christians and Muslims.

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Jonah is the central figure in the Hebrew Bible's Book of Jonah, and is best known for being swallowed by a fish or whale, depending on the translation.

The sacrilegious attack is simply the latest bout of violence in ISIS's rampage across Iraq. Earlier in the week, images were revealed which showed the destruction of almost a dozen Shia and Sunni and religious shrines in Mosul and Tal Afar, by ISIS militants.

ISIS believes that venerating tombs and relics is against the teachings of Islam, and so they must be destroyed.

Ninevah official Zuhair Al-Chalabi spoke about the attacks. "The elements of ISIS [have] controlled the mosque of the Prophet Younis (which is Jonah's name in Arabic) in Mosul since they invaded the city," he said. "[ISIS] enged in the process of tampering with the contents of the Mosque. It is still held by them until now."

Reports also revealed that the shrine of the Prophet Seth was also destroyed by rebels.

These attacks came before the discovery of more than 50 bodies in an agricultural area outside the major city of Hillah, just south of Baghdad by Iraqi authorities.

An Iraqi military spokesman said many among the 53 dead had been found blindfolded and with their hands bound. The men were shot to death by ISIS in the predominantly Shiite city, which has raised concerns about possible sectarian killing amid the battle against the Sunni Muslim group.

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