Posted on 05/31/2004 9:00:49 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia, May 31 (Reuters) - A Christian Arab who was held captive by al Qaeda militants in Saudi Arabia said on Monday he lied to them about his faith and praised their battle against the West, to save his life.
Nizar Hajazeen, a Jordanian software businessmen who was at the Tower hotel in the Oasis compound during the 25-hour drama in Khobar, said the militants lectured him about Islam and their aim to liberate Saudi Arabia from "infidels and crusaders".
The complex where the militants held about 50 foreigners -- including some Westerners -- was their last target in the violence in the eastern Saudi oil city in which they killed at least 22 people.
Hajazeen, 32, had tried to call a cab to go to work on Saturday but the phone lines were jumbled.
"I went down and the Filipino receptionist told me there were terrorists in the compound and gunshots were heard," he told Reuters.
He tried to help security guards close the hotel entrance gate but the lock did not work and a manager recommended he hide, Hajazeen said.
"I went to the room of a Jordanian colleague. Someone banged violently on the door. We opened and there were two men, one with a machinegun, another with a revolver. They were wearing black track suits," he said, adding that one had a wounded arm.
Both were in their twenties.
"They asked us if we were Arab or Westerners. We told them: 'We're Arab'.
"One then asked if I was a Christian or a Muslim. I told him we were Muslims and showed him my colleague's Koran as proof. I told him we supported them and that we were against America and Europe. I had to say that."
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY"
Residents of the compound said the attackers asked everyone they encountered if they were Muslim or Christian, before taking them hostage or killing them.
An Oasis manager said the gunmen shot and killed several Westerners as soon as they entered the complex.
The gunmen made two Indian hotel staff with master keys show them where the Westerners were, Hajazeen said.
His brother called him on his mobile phone to wish him a happy birthday -- a day late -- just as the militants were saying their motive was to drive Americans and Christians from their country.
"They asked me to turn off my mobile but did not take it away as they did with others," Hajazeen said, adding that they told him and his colleague to stay in the room and left.
"We stayed locked in our room. One of us was hiding in the shower, another one was hiding in the bathtub," Hajazeen said, adding that from time to time they sneaked back into the bedroom to watch the news on television.
He said that before commandos freed them on Sunday, compound security guards called his mobile to ask him to check if the militants had rigged his floor with explosives. He found nothing.
"Before the commandos came, there was heavy gunfire and one explosion shook the hotel. We could hear glass being smashed, screams... It sounded like someone was giving out orders."
Saudi security forces later called them out, saying: "Do not be scared."
Making his way to freedom he saw the bodies of four Indians and an Italian cook.
"They had been shot dead. Some were on the staircases."
I agree. God wants this Christian to fight another day.
And a big thanks to you Fitz, you've brought up the main point -- instead of us tut-tutting over one man's bad decision we forget about the reason for that -- the eveil that isIslam
bump
Drawing near? I think it is already here. It started with taking prayer from our schools and legalizing the murder of innocents. It has grown with the removal of Christian celebrations in the public square while exalting false gods in the same places where the true God is no longer welcone. It crept into our private lives when individuals started losing their jobs for wearing a cross or having a Bible with them at work or for saying "God bless you." It continues with the mockery of marriage made by the courts in promoting and supporting homosexual "unions." It is creeping into churches as near as Canada where Biblical teaching on homosexuality is considered a hate crime. Is it really such a stretch to think that it won't be long till they're knocking down our doors demanding a profession of loyalty to the state?
When the Muslims first captured the hostages, the FIRST THING THEY DID was to SEPARATE OUT THE CHRISTIANS FOR BEHEADING.
Interesting thread.
Oh God the Donatists are resurrected!
gaaaagg!!! Dead would be better?
I guess Peter is in hell.
And so, the profession of lawyering was born...
(HUMOR!:-)
I think after 9-11, we're all closer to making this kind of decision than we previously were. The muslims mean it --- they intend to have the whole world submit and soon. Not long ago we didn't really think of what martyrdom might mean --- it wasn't this close up and getting closer.
At times, Jesus very own, hand-picked disciples waivered and failed him in their walk of faith. Yet, he forgave them and instructed them to go into the world and spread the good word.
Peter was prominent among that small inner circle of disciples, often acting as their spokesman and acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah, although he did not fully understand that Jesus would have to suffer.
Jesus knew Peter, the rock, would deny him 3 times before the cock crowed and he told him so. Peter rejected that idea and then he did, indeed, deny him 3 times. Peter's failings serve to highlight the courage and compassion of Jesus. Peter's life and death were not easy, he faced many hardships and persecution and was himself crucified but our faith tells us that Peter was forgiven.
IMHO, faith, or our belief in Christ, can happen in a instant but growing strong in that faith is a lifelong journey. Some of us struggle while others seem to sprint past us. Along the way each of us encounter trials that slow or stalls our progress but we must persevere and not lose sight of the destination. Perhaps on Saturday that young Jordanian, like Peter, stumbled in his journey. It would be so interesting to know what that young man does from this time forward.
It probably doesn't get much worse than that.
Yet still Peter was His because salvation is God's call; not ours.
Lijahsbubbe: "You claim to stand in judgement of this man's eternal life... "
Sauropod: I claimed no such thing Ms. Pot. STOP putting words in my mouth.
And you ARE obnoxious.
That's speculative. Let the record show here that you are a LIAR. And that's factual.
Nice strawman there. I don't recall making the argument that because this man was faced with death it was ok for him to say he was not a Christian, nor do I see where the fact that Qur'an makes these acts OK has any place in this discussion.
And I'm the last person who would defend these people. Nice try, though.
Not to put too fine a line on it, but weren't many of hte Donatists people who were later martyred and did NOT deny their faith?
Fact: Deny Christ even to save your life is a grave sin.
Fact: To deny Christ "permanently" is damnable.
Fact: This poor fellow did not deny Christ permanently. He sinned a great sin true, but do not condemn him yet.
The Lord seeks all sinners to enter into Heaven, and he works in (everybody say it now) "Mysterious ways." At some point in the future this poor fellow may yet die for Christ what then? Dose his previous denial still condemn him? He might suffer worse even than death for the sake of Christ, can he never have the chance to justify his faith now that he faltered once? Do not take on God's authority and condemn him, when you should be praying that he will find the strength to justify his faith in the future when ever he next has the chance.
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