Saudis Behead Two Thais

[taxexile]

no such thing like crucifying exists in Saudi Arabia

SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY

Sun 7 Sep 2003

'I faced crucifixion' claims Scot freed from Saudi jail

SANDY Mitchell, the Scot placed under sentence of death in Saudi Arabia, has revealed he was due to be executed by crucifixion, writes Christopher Claire.

Mitchell said he was told by his Saudi lawyer that the sentence called for the victim’s head to be "partially" severed and the body fixed to an X-shaped cross in public view for three days.

Public beheadings are routine in Saudi Arabia, but crucifixion is reserved as an exemplary punishment under sharia (Islamic) law for crimes of the utmost severity. Two highway robbers have been executed in this way in the past 20 years.

Mitchell was one of six Britons arrested in Riyadh after a series of bomb attacks on westerners three years ago. They were set free from captivity after lobbying by the British government and the Prince of Wales.

[mr_hippo]

does any Jeddawi remember the parking lot near Caravan Shopping where one could buy excellent "Sadiqi" for about 40 riyals per ½ gallon? at nightfall one had to blink with the headlights three times. the chap also delivered Johnnie Walker red label at fluctuating fair prices seasonally depending. but his prices for something special like a bottle of french cognac were outrageous.

Bought from him a few times. In Taif, the price for the good stuff (made by Thais) was SR100 but had to be cut 3 times. Used to get the occasional free bottle of Red Label from an F-15 pilot with connections.

I remember an idiot Aussie working for Bell Helicopters in Taif - early 90's. We used to go scuba diving north of Jeddah; drive down from Taif on Wednesday night taking our 'supplies' with us and drive past the checkpoint just north of Jeddah, deciding it was not worth the risk of bringing it back we used to bury it on the beach and 'mark' the spot and retrieve on the next visit, This Aussie decided to put his name and address on his - he got arrested after the Saudis found it!

[meom]

does any Jeddawi remember the parking lot near Caravan Shopping where one could buy excellent "Sadiqi" for about 40 riyals per ½ gallon? at nightfall one had to blink with the headlights three times. the chap also delivered Johnnie Walker red label at fluctuating fair prices seasonally depending. but his prices for something special like a bottle of french cognac were outrageous.

No offense Dr. but personally I think Jeddah (and the whole of the Western region for that matter) is a shithole in comparison to Dhahran and Khobar. Close proximity to Bahrain makes life a bit more relaxed.

Reminds me of that hilarious caricature a Saudi writer put up in the Arab press years ago. He portrayed Saudi as a giant cow eating from the Eastern Province, getting milked in Riyadh and having a dump in Jeddah

[misterme]

I wish our countries started taking a heavy hand to serious crimes. None of this '300 strikes' law.

Crime in Thailand and in Western countries has come acceptable. Capital punishment under certain circumstances would certainly make an impact.

As for Saudi, the skull and crossbones is right there on the entrance card. Any fool to try to smuggle drugs should not be surprised at the consequences. My impression was that crime was pretty low. I could only wish the same for my country.

[Naam]

does any Jeddawi remember the parking lot near Caravan Shopping where one could buy excellent "Sadiqi" for about 40 riyals per ½ gallon? at nightfall one had to blink with the headlights three times. the chap also delivered Johnnie Walker red label at fluctuating fair prices seasonally depending. but his prices for something special like a bottle of french cognac were outrageous.

No offense Dr. but personally I think Jeddah (and the whole of the Western region for that matter) is a shithole in comparison to Dhahran and Khobar. Close proximity to Bahrain makes life a bit more relaxed.

Reminds me of that hilarious caricature a Saudi writer put up in the Arab press years ago. He portrayed Saudi as a giant cow eating from the Eastern Province, getting milked in Riyadh and having a dump in Jeddah

non taken Meom when first visiting Jeddah it was a nightmare for me. flying back to Dhahran i felt like kissing the tarmac when deplaning. but i had no other choice than moving from al-Khobar to Jeddah for business reasons. it took us a few months to adjust but then we were fine although our friends in the Eastern Province pitied us.

Riyadh of course was and is a conservative horror. the same goes for Jubail, Tabuk and Khamis Meshad were i had branches.

believe it or not, if my wife and me had a choice (saudi retiree visa) we would prefer Jeddah to Pattaya any time.

edited for addendum:

we had in the final stage approximately ~600 employees in Jeddah. a severe punishment for a misbehaving employee was a transfer to al-Khobar, Jubail or Tabuk.

Edited May 8, 2007 by Dr. Naam

[Naam]

"'I faced crucifixion' claims Scot freed from Saudi jail"

and i claim that crucifixion is unheard of in Saudi Arabia.

[taxexile]

fair enough , you've lived there and i havent.......... but

Human Rights Watch (http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/02/21/saudia15377_txt.htm)

A statement by the Saudi Ministry of Interior, dated February 19, 2007, the same day as the execution of the four defendants, said that a royal order affirmed the verdict of execution for armed robbery and the subsequent public display of their corpses, in compliance with Saudi law.

Saudi Arabia considers armed robbery to be an offense against God with prescribed, unalterable punishment if proven, based on the Koranic verse 5:33 that criminalizes waging war against God and His Messenger and spreading corruption on earth, and prescribes either “execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land” as a punishment.

there are many references on the net to crucifixion as being on the ststute book in saudi arabia , although no references to any actual crucifixions , but to claim that they are unheard of is a claim too far.

Edited May 9, 2007 by taxexile

[Naam]

there are many references on the net to crucifixion as being on the ststute book in saudi arabia , although no references to any actual crucifixions , but to claim that they are unheard of is a claim too far.

please take into consideration that english is my third language. what i meant with "unheard of" is that nobody recalls, respectively there is no evidence that a crucifixion has ever been carried out in Saudi Arabia.

[meom]

believe it or not, if my wife and me had a choice (saudi retiree visa) we would prefer Jeddah to Pattaya any time.

It would not be my idea of fun but I’ve heard a similar view expressed by other people who wouldn’t mind to retire in Saudi. Mostly by people who work or have worked here for several years and feel comfortable with the life style and security that the country offers. Saudi might be the breeding ground of Al-Qaeda but the government has actually done a lot to get rid of “ misled and deviant people” as they call it, so despite the occasional terrorist attack it’s actually quite save here (except for driving which in my opinion is worse than in Thailand) and crime is not as visible as in the West. At least for the time being because nobody knows how much of Iraq's problems might spill over to Saudi.

Anyway as you probably know the property market in the Middle-East is booming and places like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Qatar are offering freehold ownership of condo’s etc. to foreigners which includes the visa. It won’t be long before Saudi jumps on the bandwagon as well so who knows maybe in future you’ll be having a sid and coke on your balcony overlooking Jeddah Corniche and the Red Sea.

[Naam]

Anyway as you probably know the property market in the Middle-East is booming and places like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Qatar are offering freehold ownership of condo’s etc. to foreigners which includes the visa. It won’t be long before Saudi jumps on the bandwagon as well so who knows maybe in future you’ll be having a sid and coke on your balcony overlooking Jeddah Corniche and the Red Sea.

Bahrain is still affordable but a rather boring place however residence permit is granted even when renting. Abu Dhabi and Dubai prices are outrageous but Dubai allows foreign ownership of land in selected areas. Sharja stubbornly refuses to allow foreign ownership but Ras al-Khaimah hast started. had no idea that Qatar is opening too.

i have no hopes that Saudi Arabia will be open for foreigners during my lifetime.

[mr_hippo]

There was a suggestion/plan in the mid 90's to annex, for want of a better word, a strip of land about 50kms by 10 kms on the Red Sea coast in the Tabuk province for tourism purposes - hotels with alcohol licences, very few Saudi nationals involved and no travel permitted to other parts of the Kingdom.

[kmart]

I wish our countries started taking a heavy hand to serious crimes. None of this '300 strikes' law.

Crime in Thailand and in Western countries has come acceptable. Capital punishment under certain circumstances would certainly make an impact.

As for Saudi, the skull and crossbones is right there on the entrance card. Any fool to try to smuggle drugs should not be surprised at the consequences. My impression was that crime was pretty low. I could only wish the same for my country.

Utter rubbish. Maybe public stoning of women is more your thing? Just be glad that your country managed to separate church from state and give you an education and a vote. And the time and freedom to post crap on the Internet.

[IMA_FARANG]

i dont believe in closing my eyes to some of the harsher realities of what goes on in the world these days.

Dose that mean that if you were in Saudi Arabia you would attend a public execution?

MM

You wouldn't always have a choice. I had an American friend who was at the souk (market) on Friday morning. An execution was scheduled, and the police came around to round up people to watch it. It was supposed to be good "moral education" for the public to watch.

But don't get me wrong there are certain things I like about Sharia law. I don't agree with everything but some points I do agree with.

First it takes 3 judges to pass on a capital crime. If one of the three says no, the criminal will not be executed (but may be punished otherwise such as a flogging).

Secondly, if an execution is decided on, the chief judge who passes the sentence, must be present at the execution. Not like in "enlightened" countries where the judge who sentences a criminal to be executed can be home watching television or drinking when the criminal is actually executed.

Thirdly, at the actual execution the judge who is present is asked if he still feels the criminal should be executed. If, for any reason, the judge isn't sure the criminal should be executed he can say no and the execution will be stopped.

Finally, many of the criminals (although the Saudis usually deny this) are doped up for the execution. It seems more "merciful" that way.

I'm not defending the law, but just want everyone to know the real facts.

[Naam]

I wish our countries started taking a heavy hand to serious crimes. None of this '300 strikes' law.

Crime in Thailand and in Western countries has come acceptable. Capital punishment under certain circumstances would certainly make an impact.

As for Saudi, the skull and crossbones is right there on the entrance card. Any fool to try to smuggle drugs should not be surprised at the consequences. My impression was that crime was pretty low. I could only wish the same for my country.

Utter rubbish. Maybe public stoning of women is more your thing? Just be glad that your country managed to separate church from state and give you an education and a vote. And the time and freedom to post crap on the Internet.

you seem to enjoy that freedom too

[stiggy]

If Theives in Thailand had there hands cut off....

Surely there would be no Tuk Tuk drivers left in Pattaya or phuket

[wintermute]

If Theives in Thailand had there hands cut off....

Roughly 75% of the population would have no hands.

[astral]

I found myself asking the question - Would they would have executed two westerners for the same offence?

MM

Yes.

I am not sure what all the fuss is about.

Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia have the death penalty for drug smuggling,

why should Saudi be criticised for the same thing?

I must admit that having seen a public beheading it has a salutary effect,

which goes to emphase the dangers of committing such offences.

[astral]

If Theives in Thailand had there hands cut off....

Roughly 75% of the population would have no hands.

No right hand.

As the other is used for toilet purposes it is considered dirty so they will have a real problem in normal life.