Posted on 01/06/2003 3:02:17 PM PST by knighthawk
ROME (Reuters) - A man found with his left hand almost severed late on New Year's Eve in the Italian city of Turin slipped out of hospital on Saturday before police could find out what happened to him, his doctor said.
Police initially said they were investigating the possibility that the young man, who said he was from Algeria, had been the victim of a punishment under Islamic law, which prescribes amputation as a penalty for certain crimes.
The man had no papers but identified himself as Faod Salih and said he was 18. He told doctors and police he did not remember how he found himself on a street late at night after what appeared to be an amputation attempt.
"He insisted he didn't remember what had happened but it was clear to me that he did remember and was too terrified to say anything," orthopedic surgeon Riccardo Ferracini, who reattached Salih's hand, told Reuters by telephone.
Police sources said on Saturday before Salih left hospital unnoticed that they had not determined what happened and were looking at several possible explanations.
Ferracini, who operated on Salih for four hours, said he would have recovered up to 80 percent of his hand's mobility if he had remained in hospital, but his premature departure could hinder a full recovery.
"He has left with stitches and a cast and I have no idea what kind of care he will receive wherever he has gone," the doctor said.
If people want on or off this list, please let me know.
If the jihadi's are true to form they'll cut it off again and then cut off his other hand for getting treatment from an infidel.
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