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."
Right!
This is the verse I was trying to remember. Thank you.
It's a good thing that you aren't God...He who knows the heart of each of us. I am not smart enough to know where this man will spend his eternity...and no matter what you say, neither are you
Because you bring out 1,2 mayber 3 versus that support your point, ignoring the rest of the Bible in your quest to make a point.
The Bible is a religious text, it isn't ment to be the worlds largest chose your own adventure book.
Jesus. See post #7.
Did you also know that Donatism is a heresy? ;^)
(Don't mind me. I've no dog in this hunt. Just a hit-and-run to stir the pot.)
Aye, THERE'S the rub, Ann Archy. You've expressed the difference: simply lying to a murderer is not "turning your back on Jesus." And I believe if we dug deeper into the scripture quoted, we'd find that that was Jesus' intent in this message: live your life as my follower.
To have eternal life you must accept Jesus as your Savior. So does knowingly lying to a murderer about your faith mean YOU haven't accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? I hardly think so.
I'm sad too. That came to mind for me when I first read the thread.
Did you ever hear the story about the Church in Russia? The Russian soldiers went into the full Church with their rifles pointed and one ask "Those who are not Christian can leave." A few trickled out of the Church thinking that the soldiers were going to kill the Christians.
After they left, the soldiers put their rifles down and said "Good. We wanted to make sure everyone was of our faith here."
Talk is cheap. We have many brave Christians here...fighting Satan at the front lines...of their keyboards!!!
To answer your first question, no. Your second question is nonsense.
When citing scripture it is often important ( like always okay) to also remember the context....No man has the mind of God who knows each and every heart...After all The Book also tells us that there will be those who say Lord Lord and are not worthy of heaven....Let God make the judgements we aren't qualified
What would Peter do?
I didn't quote any verses from the Bible. Who are you referencing?
Religious text? Well, it's the "text" I live my life by. It's what I choose to believe.
I bet he's on his y2k bunker too, just be sure he's really on the front lines.
yes.
That decision is way above my paygrade. And yours, I suspect. Frankly, I don't spend a lot of time worrying about who sinned so much or in such a way that God won't forgive them. I figure that is His call.
If Apostle Peter can do it...
Thanks, Ernest!
Maybe "my" spell checker is on the fritz. Or else......fingers quicker then the mind? LOL!
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