Such violence in response to purported religious insults is not simply spontaneous. It is also stoked and channeled by governments for political purposes. And the objects and victims of accusations of religious insults are not usually Westerners, but minorities and dissidents in the Muslim world.

The situation of Homs at the moment is a horrifying one. Violence has escalated... We witnessed a lot of bombardments, killings, shootings, kidnappings.

As well as the danger of being caught in the crossfire, the lack of resources is putting the survival of Homs' residents under serious threat. There is no electricity, and people are running out of clean water, food and medicines.

Both the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD) and International Christian Concern (ICC) are charging that Saudi Arabian government officials have severely mistreated the prisoners because of their Christian faith.

Saudi officials assaulted the men and performed humiliating body cavity searches on the female prisoners. One high-ranking official told the Ethiopians, "You are nonbelievers and animals. You are pro-Jews and supporters of America."

Some are going to safer parts of the country while others are crossing the border into Cameroon.

"Systematic elimination"

The Church of England's General Synod last week called on the Government to "do all it can" to support the protection of religious minorities in Nigeria.