Posted on 04/22/2004 9:55:20 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie
RIYADH, 23 April 2004 — Anger and astonishment continues to grow in the community after the terrorist attack on the security forces building in Riyadh with a call for quicker and firmer action to eradicate terrorism from the Kingdom.
“Our country was always known as the country of Islam and peace,” said the sister of Col. Mutlak Al Hammash. Her brother remains in the ICU suffering from various head injuries due to the force of the blast.
The colonel’s son, Khaled Al-Hammash, said, “I couldn’t believe what had happened. I immediately rushed to the hospital and discovered that my father was in the ICU and that his condition was very critical.”
“I couldn’t stand straight on my feet when I saw him. People who knew my father stood beside me, telling me to believe in God’s will and to pray for the best. I was calmed by the visit of Prince Naif and Prince Salman who came to visit my father. I felt then that I was not alone in this ordeal, and that my father is a great man,” he said.
Another victim, Fahd Al-Mohana, civilian, arrived at KFSH unconscious and with no identification card. He had injuries to his face and body and was sent directly to the ICU. His family searched many hospitals before they located him at KFSH.
“I received a call from a lady this morning. Her voice was shaky when she asked me if there was an unidentified person in the unit; I immediately asked her to come to the hospital,” a nurse at the ICU told Arab News. “When she saw her son, the women fainted,” she added. “Now at least we know who he is.”
The wife of another victim, Brig. Fahd Al-Bishr, Director of Traffic Department, said: “My husband was doing his job and serving his country along with his fellow officers. Why were they attacked?” she asked.
“They (the terrorists) say that this is reformation (Islah), I say this is terrorism! They moved us from peace into war; war on us, on our religion and even on innocent children,” she added. “We have to stand together in face of those who want to break our society. They want to bring brutality into our lives,” she said.
Her husband has deep cuts in his neck and underwent surgery; doctors removed a peace of glass from his right eye but is expected to recover its full use.
At Central Hospital in Shumaisy, where many of the injured were taken after the blast, patients and staff spoke about Wednesday’s dramatic events.
Fahd Khalid Al-Harbi, 23, an injured policeman, said he was working in the stationery stores of his office at the time of the blast.
He did not realize what was happening, but was aware that something had exploded near the premises.
Later he woke up in hospital and found his left eye bandaged and bruises all over his face and chest.
Al-Harbi told Arab News he was undaunted by the attack and would continue his work with the force.
He said the attack had nothing to do with religion. “They are a bunch of deviants who are misleading others. They have nothing to do with Islam. By killing innocent men they have done a great harm to the cause of Islam,” he said.
Dr. Moustafa Adel Kheir El Din, the director of the intensive care unit, said of the 19 patients who were hospitalized on Wednesday, six were admitted to the ICU in critical condition. A seventh patient died yesterday soon after he was brought in. All of them were members of the security forces.
Dr. El Din said the ICU has 41 beds, though it is capable of accommodating a much larger intake of patients if necessary. “Our disaster management plan is already in place and we are ready for any eventuality, God forbid,” he said.
Most of the critically wounded patients are suffering from head and brain injuries.
He said a team of experts had to work for 13 hours yesterday to help stabilize the condition of the patients. “They are making steady progress and hopefully can be discharged any time within the next seven days. Those whose injuries are very critical may have to stay a bit longer,” he added.
One of the injured at Central Hospital, Abdul Aziz Al- Shahrani of the Public Security Directorate, said he was working in his office at 2 p.m. when he was hit by flying shards of glass and falling debris from the building, which took a direct hit. The right side of his face is swollen and bruised.
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