Posted on 11/05/2005 8:48:12 PM PST by ncountylee
Pattani boy, four, named after Osama
Acouple in Pattani who named their only son ''bin Laden'' after the Saudi-born fugitive say they hope he will grow up as ''smart'' as the man being hunted by the US in connection with the devastating attacks on New York and Washington on Sept 11, 2001. The boy, now four, was born on the day of the terror attacks which Osama bin Laden is accused of plotting.
Ibrohim Jae-rong, 43, a villager of Panarae district, said the district office refused to register his choice of name, and urged the family to switch to Nuruddin. But the boy is bin Laden to his family and neighbours, he said.
''The district officer tried to convince me the name was inappropriate as bin Laden was a terrorist,'' he said.
However, the rubber plantation owner said his family does not care about that. To them, the fugitive is a hero.
''To me, he's not a terrorist. He is the most powerful man,'' said Mr Ibrohim. He said he believed the older bin Laden was a good man who had devoted his life to fighting the US. ''In my opinion, America is not a good nation for it interferes with other countries. I share with other Muslims in the deep South a love and admiration for bin Laden,'' he said.
He wants the young bin Laden to be a good Muslim who will devote his life to Allah. He said he tried to instill Islamic teachings in the boy although he was still young.
''I want him to study Islam and to become an ustaz or toh khu, a religious school principal. I am willing to work hard to save money for his religious education. I also want to send him abroad for Islamic and Arabian studies.''Rortipah, mother of the young bin Laden, said she also admired Osama bin Laden.
''Before he was born, I dreamed of Allah. He gave me a big, beautiful necklace. He is the youngest kid, the other three are daughters,'' she said.
She said she wanted her only son to be a good man. ''I want him to do the right things, not use violence,'' she said.
Poor kid.
He's dead, Jim.
" ''smart'' as the man being hunted by the US"
---or dead. Why hasn't he called home since the big earthquake in his cave?
Keep in mind the average adult in Thailand has about a 6th grade education. This goes down even lower in some of the provincial areas.
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