[aristeides]

"al Masri" means "the Egyptian" in Arabic. Quite understandable that that should be part of Abu Hamza's name, since he comes from Egypt. But I was wondering, reading this article, why a Saudi family should have that name.

[Allan]

"al Masri" means "the Egyptian" in Arabic.
Quite understandable that that should be part of Abu Hamza's name,
since he comes from Egypt.
But I was wondering, reading this article,
why a Saudi family should have that name.

Take out your telephone book
and see how many people have the surnames:
"English", "England", "Ireland", "Wales", "French"

Several hundred in mine.

The name tells you nothing.

[Cindy]

""al Masri" means "the Egyptian" in Arabic. Quite understandable that that should be part of Abu Hamza's name, since he comes from Egypt. But I was wondering, reading this article, why a Saudi family should have that name."

Thanks Aristeides for the information. I learned something new today. That is a very good question you posed. Maybe it's a Saudi-Egyptian family? Or....

[a history buff]

More than a few Arab clans extend from Mauretania to Saudi Arabia, or from Lebanon to the Congo (to Detroit.) In kingdoms and dictatorships with rudimentary or no welfare, clans are all-important. Furthermore some of the brightest Egyptians, Iranians and Iraqis etc moved to the oil states soon after oil was found, and were naturalized, a privilige denied the many who came when the exodus really picked up.