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."
*yawn* Did you bother to read the thread?
< crickets>
I did not lie as you admitted in a later post.
By you taking things out of context and twisting them, it is YOU that is a LIAR! And you're STILL obnoxious and a HARRIDAN as well.
Or do you deny that the Jordanian was in fear of his life because of Moose Limb extremists?
Strike Two!
No it is not for the easy times. You open your mouth with a purpose when it needs to be said. If your in a room with a bunch of satan's vicious clowns and they're killing folks it is your duty to twart them as much as you can and escape. satan's clowns won't be swayed by what you say, God knows what is in your heart and no one else will ever know what went on. Now that you know what went on, you should be greatful that one of God's children is alive.
BTW, I did not lie. Name calling, caterwaling and labeling people "liars" is real close to getting the abuse button pushed.
How Christian of you.
That's true. My message in caps was to everybody (including you) that posted the same message about Peter denying Christ 3 times over and over and over and over without bothering to read the thread.
As for posting something really stupid "early in a thread," I modified my statement by stating later that it APPEARS this man has lost eternal life by doing what he did. The verse from Matthew has been quoted by numerous people on this thread and that verse is what I recalled immediately upon starting to read the story.
I don't think what I said in #6 (modified) is "really stupid" and I stand by it. I don't want the post yanked. I'll take a certain amount of heat because I should have used the words "it appears" in my original post. But that's it.
There have been all kinds of "really stupid" things advanced on this thread and I'm not buying into any of those either. And I sure as h*ll don't appreciate being called a "liar."
Yes, I know that. Each man is led by his convictions and God will honor that. So will I. I can easily imagine someone saying the opposite and being killed. An Amish would do that for instance. God not only gave the gift of life, He gave the gift of Freedom also. That's a gift we are to extend to everyone.
No it does not so appear. You are judging this man and then backpedalling. It appears that this man lied to protect both himself and his friend. Maybe he didn't lie. Maybe he was not a Christian. Regardless, I doubt anyone on this forum would have the courage to admit to being a Christian when machine guns are pointed at you in case you give the "wrong" answer.
Your post #6 was an arrogant and self righteous judgment of a man you know nothing about. Your modification is not much better. It still smells of self rightousness.
What makes you think you would do better than this man? Frankly it APPEARS that you are a bit arrogant. I could be wrong. But judging from your statements on this thread, there's more evidence that you are arrogant and self righteous than that this man lost his eternal life. Much more. Indeed, Eternal Life, by definition, cannot be lost. But that's a matter for a theological discussion.
Yes and Christ himself had to restore Peter by questioning him three times. Dont exalt this Jordanian to Peter's status...he was already an apostle.
The Word is clear on this subject.
I was thinking about the same thing...BUT...I also believe once saved always saved. Therefore, only God knows what's in his heart. Maybe there is a place for him..maybe his place was this story?
You mean CHANGED YOUR STANCE UNDER PRESSURE? You posted exactly what you meant, with the sarcasm, "I sure hope he enjoys this life....." You ain't foolin' nobody. You folded when you caught flack, but you expect the Iraqi Christian not to fold when he has a gun pointed at him. That's rich.
I did not lie as you admitted in a later post.
I admitted nothing. I said, if you truly believed I attacked you, and not your statement, that I apologized. But I see that you are disingenuous and a waffling, folding hypocrite.
By you taking things out of context and twisting them, it is YOU that is a LIAR! And you're STILL obnoxious and a HARRIDAN as well.
I added nor subtracted anything from your post #6, it speaks quite clearly. Except if you count post #374 ,(368 posts later) the "er I really meant to say" post. Which means the same thing to me anyway, unless you take out the sarcastic, "hope he enjoys this life" sentence, in which case it would be you twisting and taking things out of context, now wouldn't it? Or is it a matter of "depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is?
I did, and I modified to include the word "appeared."
I stand by it.How brave of you to stand by changing your stance.
Whoa..I should have looked to see how many posts were on this thread before I replied. Yikes.... I'm pulling outta here.. :)
In other words he is a tribal Christian like Yasser Arafat wife Suha was and not a genuine Christian.
The boy's weeping father,who works for Apicorp, asked later: 'What is his guilt? This is an innocent child going to school.'
He said of the terrorists: 'Those are not Moslems.'
They claim to be muslim, but the father denies them. I wonder how they would answer him.
"So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
Zero ambiguity.
Only the wicked [WICKED MEANS YOU KNOW THE TRUTH BUT YOU TWIST IT IN ORDER TO SALVE YOUR OWN CONCIOUNCE OR DILUTE THE WORD] attempt to justify someone directly going against Jesus' own words.
Just a little FYI: wasn't that verse written before Christ Died for our sins...so is it really applicable after he died?
Because when you literally intrepret passages from the Bible you usually sound like an iliterate.
"I stand by it" in post 492 should be in italics.
I thoroughly believe, that for some...to deny God...means that he or she isn't saved in the first place.
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