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."
Oh, puhleeze! We have an obligation to spoon feed everybody this?
There are lots of people in this country that just can't be bothered to concern themselves with things like "politics." After all, Junior has a soccer match tonight, and we HAVE to see what's going on with American Idol. /s
Ah, a "what if" question. One with a premise that I reject because I'd have to agree that He would not know what this man really believed before he died in your scenerio. Or do you seriously believe that the Almighty does not have the ability to know such things? Do you think he might be unaware of some things? I don't.
This man tricked the trickster. And maybe that was what the Lord wanted? Or maybe not? No matter, none of us know.
One thing is for certain. The false god Allah took no innocent life this time. I find nothing wrong with that.
You know God.
That is really quite a different statement than "having no idea at all". I would tend to remember an occasion when I was specifically rebuked by my teacher. If they didn't believe Jesus why were they following him? Hadn't they witnessed Lazarus?
The catacomb reference is to compare "confess/deny" to "show/hide".
Whatever all these questions lead others to believe. I cannot judge, condemn, criticize, or in any other way belittle the Apostles.
I know. I have stated such.
And suffered a martyr's death in the end...by crucifixion.
Good post. I agree with it. My remark about the consequences of sin was pointed toward those consequences in this life we have to live with.
He would have done what Peter did.
Then someone came and told them, "Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!" So the commander of the temple guards went with his men to bring them back without force, because they were afraid of being stoned to death by the people.
When they brought them back, they made them stand before the Council, and the high priest began to question them. He said, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in his name, didn't we? Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to bring this man's blood on us!"
But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus to life after you hung him on a tree and killed him. God has exalted to his right hand this very man as our Leader and Savior in order to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who keep on obeying him."
When they heard this, they became furious and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while. Then he said to them, "Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men." . . .
After calling in the apostles and beating them, they ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus and let them go. They left the Council, rejoicing to have been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the Name. Every day in the temple and from house to house they kept teaching and proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 5:26-33,40ff.)
I pray that you are correct. But I would not like to take the chance of being wrong this guy has.
I'm saying that given the circumstances, yes. In the totality of this event the Lord's name still shines and the name of mohammed's nightmarish figment is covered with pig dung. Unless, of course, suicide is a justifiable here.
Maybe -- and we don't really know how God judges him now or will judge him later --- but I think he came very close to denying God and then dying --- he would have denied God at the very last part of his life, that seems like it's cutting it too close.
I think none of us really knows for sure what we'd do until we're in that position but I don't know if trusting your soul with a chance that the muslims might believe you're one of them isn't all that safe and it might be better to die as a Christian.
Like you I pray for the strength and grace to be able to stand through the coming persecution.
The point of contention was that this guy just lost his eternal life. Peter's manner of death does not imply this man cannot be forgiven.
I'm not the one that's confused.
Under the same circumstances, I would have done the same exact thing.
Imagine a bunch of armed terrorists, ready to cut my throat, asking if I'm christian or muslim....only to tell them that I'm jewish. Forget about it. I'd be the very first to go.
Apology accepted.
SheLion: "Why do you say that?"
The fact that you even asked that question shows a profound spiritual immaturity.
Those who post here cannot say for certain what they would do, faced with the split-second decision this man faced. Wishes that we could be strong and confident and face certain death without thinking cannot be for certain be known. The question of predestination comes to mind in that what occured in the hotel room between the killers and the guests cannot be known for its outcome beforehand. What transpired was the will of God. God guides the lives we all live. It is His hand that shapes history and destiny. We all strive to be perfect and pure in a world imperfect and impure. Populated by imperfect and impure creations. Why God chose to create such a world is open for conjecture and has been debated for thousands of years. We will know when it is time for us to know. Until then, we can only struggle to be that which we wish to be, in the eyes and manner of God and the Christ.
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