Order, please. I would like to have everyone's attention.
Today is September 30, 2014, and I want to welcome you to the 35th meeting of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.
Pursuant to our standing orders we are looking today at the persecution of religious minorities in Iraq. We have with us Reverend Majed El Shafie who is the founder and president of One Free World International. Reverend El Shafie has come to this committee before on a variety of issues relating to religious liberty in different parts of what we could probably describe as the Islamic world. Today he will be testifying on something that of course is very much top of mind to many people and that is the situation in Iraq, based I believe on some personal experience visiting with some MPs last summer.
Reverend El Shafie, I invite you to begin your remarks. When they're over we'll go to our normal questions. The timing of each question will depend on how much time is available at the end of your introductory remarks.
Thank you very much.