US awaits UAE report on shootout at airport

The Times of Oman | 24 November, 2002 | unknown

[G Larry]

DUBAI ó The US embassy said yesterday it was waiting for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to report the results of an investigation into a shootout at an airport which the US Navy also uses for logistics purposes.

A spokesman at the US embassy in Abu Dhabi said, ìweíre waiting for the results of a UAE government investigationî into a shootout which the UAE authorities said occurred on Friday at Fujairah airport. ìWeíre guests at their airport,î he said, adding the US Navy stations a ësmall logistic support unití there.

ìIt would be premature to comment on the motive or target of the attack,î said an official in the embassyís public affairs office, speaking by telephone to this correspondent in Dubai.

The official had been asked to comment on a front-page report in the Saudi daily Al Sharq Al Awsat that a UAE customs officer opened fire while trying to break into an area of the airport where a US military helicopter was parked.

The embassy official said he did not know where the shooting occurred at the airport, or whether there was even a US helicopter there at the time.

A UAE Interior Ministry official said on Friday that a customs worker was shot and seriously wounded in a shootout with police who tried to stop him from entering a ërestricted areaí of Fujairah airport.

The employee tried to drive his ìcar into a prohibited area of Fujairah airport,î which is near the coast along the Gulf of Oman in the UAE, said a ministry spokesman quoted by the official news agency Wam. The employee opened fire on airport security police, who had tried to stop him, and they returned fire, the spokesman said.

He named the suspect as Mohammed Abdullah Al Abduli, but gave no other details about him or what may have motivated him.

ìAl Abduli was seriously wounded before being arrested and admitted to the hospital,î the spokesman said, adding the incident ìcaused no casualties among the police, airport staff, or travellers.î ó AFP

[G Larry]

Received this @ 9:45 p.m. PST, 11-23-2002, eventhough article is published 11-24-2002 UAE time. No other news services have picked this up yet, as far as I can tell. Couldn't provide the link.

[jedwardtremlett]

Yeah - I just got word about this from the consulate.

Probably best not to jump to conclusions yet. If it's terrorist-related the UAE will no doubt report all information to us.

J

[blam]

Another Mohammad.

[EggsAckley]

There are moments in this Islamic waiting game that I find myself staring at some of the players' names.

Abdullah Al Abduli

Wasn't there a song with "Abullah Abulbul Amir?" Or something like that.

If the state of the world's affairs weren't looking so dire, I think I could make a career out of playing with these silly names.

[Mark17]

Wasn't there a song with "Abullah Abulbul Amir?" Or something like that.

Was that the song where he was supposed to kiss his royal Irish a$$? Oh no, that was Osama, who was supposed to step right up, and........

[Thinkin' Gal]

And just remember, everytime we here about yet another terrorist named Abdullah, know that the name means "servant of Allah". The other most common terrorist name seems to be Mohammed. Gee I can't imagine why.

[EggsAckley]

"Abullah Abulbul Amir"

In my memory banks I'm hearing Nat King Cole singing that line. Hmmmmmmm

[Mark17]

In my memory banks I'm hearing Nat King Cole singing that line. Hmmmmmmm

Well, yes, I seem to remember Nat King Cole singing that he wished his French was good enough.

[Bacons Rebellion]

Abdul Abulbul Amir
Written By: Percy French
Copyright Unknown

The sons of the prophet were hardy and bold,
And quite unaccustomed to fear,
But the bravest of these was a man, I am told
Named Abdul Abulbul Amir.

This son of the desert, in battle aroused,
Could spit twenty men on his spear.
A terrible creature, both sober and soused
Was Abdul Abulbul Amir.

When they needed a man to encourage the van,
Or to harass the foe from the rear,
Or to storm a redoubt, they had only to shout
For Abdul Abulbul Amir.

There are heroes aplenty and men known to fame
In the troops that were led by the Czar;
But the bravest of these was a man by the name
Of Ivan Skavinsky Skivar.

He could imitate Irving, play Euchre and pool
And perform on the Spanish Guitar.
In fact, quite the cream of the Muscovite team
Was Ivan Skavinsky Skivar.

The ladies all loved him, his rivals were few;
He could drink them all under the bar.
As gallant or tank, there was no one to rank
With Ivan Skavinsky Skivar.

One day this bold Russian had shouldered his gun
And donned his most truculent sneer
Downtown he did go, where he trod on the toe
Of Abdul Abulbul Amir

"Young man," quoth Bulbul, "has life grown so dull,
That you're anxious to end your career?
Vile infidel! Know, you have trod on the toe
Of Abdul Abulbul Amir."

"So take your last look at the sunshine and brook
And send your regrets to the Czar;
By this I imply you are going to die,
Mr. Ivan Skavinsky Skivar."

Quoth Ivan, "My friend, your remarks, in the end,
Will avail you but little, I fear,
For you ne'er will survive to repeat them alive,
Mr. Abdul Abulbul Amir!"

Then this bold mameluke drew his trusty chibouque
With a cry of "Allah Akbar!"
And with murderous intent, he ferociously went
For Ivan Skavinsky Skivar.

They parried and thrust and they side-stepped and cussed
'Till their blood would have filled a great pot.
The philologist blokes, who seldom crack jokes,
Say that hash was first made on that spot.

They fought all that night, 'neath the pale yellow moon;
The din, it was heard from afar;
And great multitudes came, so great was the fame
of Abdul and Ivan Skivar.

As Abdul's long knife was extracting the life -
In fact, he was shouting "Huzzah!" - -
He felt himself struck by that wily Kalmuck,
Count Ivan Skavinsky Skivar.

The sultan drove by in his red-breasted fly,
Expecting the victor to cheer;
But he only drew nigh to hear the last sigh
Of Abdul Abulbul Amir.

Czar Petrovich, too, in his spectacles blue
Rode up in his new crested car.
He arrived just in time to exchange a last line
With Ivan Skavinsky Skivar.

A loud-sounding splash from the Danube was heard
Resounding o'er meadows afar;
It came from the sack fitting close to the back
Of Ivan Skavinsky Skovar.

There's a tomb rises up where the blue Danube flows;
Engraved there in characters clear;
"Ah stranger, when passing, please pray for the soul
Of Abdul Abulbul Amir."

A Muscovite maiden her lone vigil keeps,
'Neath the light of the pale polar star;
And the name that she murmurs as oft as she weeps
Is Ivan Skavinsky Skivar.

[EggsAckley]

Thanks so much for digging up those lyrics. I'm even more fascinated now. It seems to be pointing at the Turk's invasions of Vienna.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the lyrics and the possible tie in to the Islamakazis who use the name of Abdul Abulbul Amir. You and other Freepers are what makes Free Republic so much better than any other news source with add value like your posting of these lyrics.

[Bacons Rebellion]

Your most welcome. Compared to what passes for lyrics to songs over the last several decades French's were clever indeed.

French certainly takes many historical liberties and inserts a variety of anachronisms in his lyrics but I think your point about the Turkish incursions into Vienna and the long held anamosity between the Russians and the Turks are entirely correct.

[EggsAckley]

You and other Freepers are what makes Free Republic so much better than any other news source with add value like your posting of these lyrics.

DITTO!!

[Grampa Dave]

You posted your question to the board about the name and a poem: posted on 11/24/2002 7:18 AM PST by EggsAckley.

Then, you and the rest of the Freepers got this excellent reply: # 9 posted on 11/24/2002 8:05 AM PST by Bacons Rebellion.

There is no way that any news agency even Fox or any talk show host even Rush and Sean can respond as fast and as clearly as our Freepers like Bacons Rebellion did in this interchange.

Kudos to you for your astute question and super Kudos to Bacons Rebellion for his great response in less than one hour.

[EggsAckley]

[Fred Mertz]

He named the suspect as Mohammed Abdullah Al Abduli, but gave no other details about him or what may have motivated him.

Gee, that's a tough one, trying to determine motive.

[TEXASPROUD]

I think you're thinking about Ahab the A-rab.

[aristeides]

UAE customs official, Kuwaii policeman, officials seem to be unreliable in those parts.

[aristeides]

Isn't Ach du lieber Augustin also about one of the Turkish sieges of Vienna?

[Cinnamon Girl]

Any further info on this? Were any Navy men in the area?