Death threats in Saudia
Jun 5th 2009, 5:00 am
#1
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Death threats in Saudia
Has anyone else here ever been threatened while in saudia? Yesterday while doing a site visit to a mobily site some ****wit kindly offered to chop my hands and head off and cut me into little pieces. As he was on his own(apart from a set of camels teeth) I did not feel too threatened,my arab colleague who I asked to translate for me, did his best to inform the ****wit in the real terms of Islam to no avail.When I did the original site survey there I felt uncomfortable as a group formed within minutes. What is the procedure with reporting such incidents and are the saudi government bothered about non muslims? 
Jun 5th 2009, 5:17 am
#2
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Re: Death threats in Saudia
Wow there's a first. I have been here in the middle east (uae, kuwait yemen, bahrain,and now saudi for over 40 odd months now, and not once in the last 14 years have i ever felt threatened, or made un welcome here in the whole of the region.
but maybe i have been lucky.
I am sure a few other members will join in this interesting thread.
but maybe i have been lucky.
I am sure a few other members will join in this interesting thread.
Jun 5th 2009, 8:52 am
#3
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Re: Death threats in Saudia
Has anyone else here ever been threatened while in saudia? Yesterday while doing a site visit to a mobily site some ****wit kindly offered to chop my hands and head off and cut me into little pieces. As he was on his own(apart from a set of camels teeth) I did not feel too threatened,my arab colleague who I asked to translate for me, did his best to inform the ****wit in the real terms of Islam to no avail.When I did the original site survey there I felt uncomfortable as a group formed within minutes. What is the procedure with reporting such incidents and are the saudi government bothered about non muslims?
Jun 5th 2009, 9:57 am
#4
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Re: Death threats in Saudia
Where were you sepcifically ? And were you dressed apropriately ? Sounds like stupid questions but depending where you were etc. could make a difference. Not been threatened myself in 15 years out in ME but people have been shot out here in Saudi in the last few years.
N
N
Jun 5th 2009, 10:26 am
#5
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Re: Death threats in Saudia
But I thought Saudia was their national airline. If you cannot even spell the name of the country properly, no wonder the locals were offended. In all of his 8+ years in the Kingdom, Lionheart was never threatened once. This may possibly have been a response to Osama Bin Laden's latest anti-western missive.
Jun 5th 2009, 2:08 pm
#6
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Re: Death threats in Saudia
But I thought Saudia was their national airline. If you cannot even spell the name of the country properly, no wonder the locals were offended. In all of his 8+ years in the Kingdom, Lionheart was never threatened once. This may possibly have been a response to Osama Bin Laden's latest anti-western missive.
Seems fair,chop off yer hands for bad spelling-won't do much for your writing though.Personally, I'd change my interpreter
Jun 5th 2009, 5:12 pm
#7
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Re: Death threats in Saudia
Sorry to hear of the incident, and I too like many others out here, have never been threatened at all.
Who do you work for? Do they have a Government Relations Dept or Security Dept? Inform them and you could also inform the police, take the translator with you down the cop shop, and report it?
In instances of road rage and the mad driving out here, I know there has been a few cases where expats have been intimidated whilst out on the roads. A note of the registration number and a quick nod and wink to the local plod usually seems to pull a result.
One of the tales I heard was an expat had shopped a local driver to the police for mad driving. Coppers got the registration number, piled down to the address, and asked who was driving the car at the time. No-one confessed. The car registered to the family, so they arrested the entire lot of them - called for a mini bus and took 14 of them, women as well, down to the local police station, locked them up overnight, til one of the family members confessed. Arrested him, fined him and charged him too.
Good luck, but I would suggest that instances like this are few and far between, I think you were one of the unlucky ones.
Who do you work for? Do they have a Government Relations Dept or Security Dept? Inform them and you could also inform the police, take the translator with you down the cop shop, and report it?
In instances of road rage and the mad driving out here, I know there has been a few cases where expats have been intimidated whilst out on the roads. A note of the registration number and a quick nod and wink to the local plod usually seems to pull a result.
One of the tales I heard was an expat had shopped a local driver to the police for mad driving. Coppers got the registration number, piled down to the address, and asked who was driving the car at the time. No-one confessed. The car registered to the family, so they arrested the entire lot of them - called for a mini bus and took 14 of them, women as well, down to the local police station, locked them up overnight, til one of the family members confessed. Arrested him, fined him and charged him too.
Good luck, but I would suggest that instances like this are few and far between, I think you were one of the unlucky ones.
Jun 5th 2009, 7:09 pm
#8
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Re: Death threats in Saudia
Thanks for the concern over my spelling. Obviously I will try not to make such a schoolboy error again. The incident happened 7km away from the sofitel hotel on Palestine street(falestine) is also the same st and other spellings may be available I do not have any government official data I can translate for the more picky readers but I can confirm exact co-ordinates for the sat nav(satelite navigation) If required,it is in Jeddah just in case it makes an iota of difference.
My dress code was the usual long trousers and company logo t-shirt,said ****wit approached my collegue shook both of our hands and asked why my colleague was not at prayers,as it was prayer time,he wondered why I as a non muslim had entered the country,what right I had to be there,and informed my colleague I would have my hands,head and then be chopped into pieces when he came back. As ever I was very un-offensive apart from being a christian with white skin. As a note in the short space of time I have been in the middle east I have met alot of locals who could not speak(and obviously spell) English who have made drinks and prepared food for me for no reason other than being good people and I am in no doubt this is an isolated incident.How ever I thought such an incident should be highlighted and my question should be asked,do I report the incident? and to who?
My dress code was the usual long trousers and company logo t-shirt,said ****wit approached my collegue shook both of our hands and asked why my colleague was not at prayers,as it was prayer time,he wondered why I as a non muslim had entered the country,what right I had to be there,and informed my colleague I would have my hands,head and then be chopped into pieces when he came back. As ever I was very un-offensive apart from being a christian with white skin. As a note in the short space of time I have been in the middle east I have met alot of locals who could not speak(and obviously spell) English who have made drinks and prepared food for me for no reason other than being good people and I am in no doubt this is an isolated incident.How ever I thought such an incident should be highlighted and my question should be asked,do I report the incident? and to who?
Jun 6th 2009, 3:36 am
#9
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 317
Re: Death threats in Saudia
i guess everyone is asking to see if there was anything in your behaviour / appearance to provoke such an incident since most of us living here have never had such experience. usually these areas happen to be very safe other than a few incidents (mainly politically motivated) and then, they usually don't let you know they'll kill you ... they just do it. by the way where are you from? You don’t sound Brit / American; and if you’re not tall / blond you shouldn’t worry too much … 
Jun 6th 2009, 5:41 am
#10
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Re: Death threats in Saudia
I'm not sure I understand the backlash to this thread. I for one have no doubt that this behavior is only uncommon because most of those who think such thoughts keep them to themselves.
One could live a lifetime in the ME without incident but its important to differentiate between the circles and locales a western expat is likely to move in and the rest of the ME.
Perhaps you were actually one of the lucky few. Maybe you came face to face with a legit extremist on his day off.
One could live a lifetime in the ME without incident but its important to differentiate between the circles and locales a western expat is likely to move in and the rest of the ME.
Perhaps you were actually one of the lucky few. Maybe you came face to face with a legit extremist on his day off.
Jun 6th 2009, 7:15 am
#11
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Re: Death threats in Saudia
Thanks for the concern over my spelling. Obviously I will try not to make such a schoolboy error again. The incident happened 7km away from the sofitel hotel on Palestine street(falestine) is also the same st and other spellings may be available I do not have any government official data I can translate for the more picky readers but I can confirm exact co-ordinates for the sat nav(satelite navigation) If required,it is in Jeddah just in case it makes an iota of difference.
My dress code was the usual long trousers and company logo t-shirt,said ****wit approached my collegue shook both of our hands and asked why my colleague was not at prayers,as it was prayer time,he wondered why I as a non muslim had entered the country,what right I had to be there,and informed my colleague I would have my hands,head and then be chopped into pieces when he came back. As ever I was very un-offensive apart from being a christian with white skin. As a note in the short space of time I have been in the middle east I have met alot of locals who could not speak(and obviously spell) English who have made drinks and prepared food for me for no reason other than being good people and I am in no doubt this is an isolated incident.How ever I thought such an incident should be highlighted and my question should be asked,do I report the incident? and to who?
My dress code was the usual long trousers and company logo t-shirt,said ****wit approached my collegue shook both of our hands and asked why my colleague was not at prayers,as it was prayer time,he wondered why I as a non muslim had entered the country,what right I had to be there,and informed my colleague I would have my hands,head and then be chopped into pieces when he came back. As ever I was very un-offensive apart from being a christian with white skin. As a note in the short space of time I have been in the middle east I have met alot of locals who could not speak(and obviously spell) English who have made drinks and prepared food for me for no reason other than being good people and I am in no doubt this is an isolated incident.How ever I thought such an incident should be highlighted and my question should be asked,do I report the incident? and to who?
Glynster,
I wasn't having a pop at you re the spelling,as ever I was having a pop at Shad the Lad for being a cupid stunt re the spelling .
I can't help you with your inquiry but Nottmbantam is a sensible savvy person so maybe ponder his response.
I'm thinkin if it had been me I may have recorded it in Duty Officer's Log if you have such a thing.
Rgds.
Jun 6th 2009, 7:40 am
#12
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Re: Death threats in Saudia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkz-HOBLyYs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2vaK...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0h0RS6NO8s
Jun 6th 2009, 3:57 pm
#13
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Re: Death threats in Saudia
Thanks for the concern over my spelling. Obviously I will try not to make such a schoolboy error again. The incident happened 7km away from the sofitel hotel on Palestine street(falestine) is also the same st and other spellings may be available I do not have any government official data I can translate for the more picky readers but I can confirm exact co-ordinates for the sat nav(satelite navigation) If required,it is in Jeddah just in case it makes an iota of difference.
My dress code was the usual long trousers and company logo t-shirt,said ****wit approached my collegue shook both of our hands and asked why my colleague was not at prayers,as it was prayer time,he wondered why I as a non muslim had entered the country,what right I had to be there,and informed my colleague I would have my hands,head and then be chopped into pieces when he came back. As ever I was very un-offensive apart from being a christian with white skin. As a note in the short space of time I have been in the middle east I have met alot of locals who could not speak(and obviously spell) English who have made drinks and prepared food for me for no reason other than being good people and I am in no doubt this is an isolated incident.How ever I thought such an incident should be highlighted and my question should be asked,do I report the incident? and to who?
My dress code was the usual long trousers and company logo t-shirt,said ****wit approached my collegue shook both of our hands and asked why my colleague was not at prayers,as it was prayer time,he wondered why I as a non muslim had entered the country,what right I had to be there,and informed my colleague I would have my hands,head and then be chopped into pieces when he came back. As ever I was very un-offensive apart from being a christian with white skin. As a note in the short space of time I have been in the middle east I have met alot of locals who could not speak(and obviously spell) English who have made drinks and prepared food for me for no reason other than being good people and I am in no doubt this is an isolated incident.How ever I thought such an incident should be highlighted and my question should be asked,do I report the incident? and to who?
I wish I could tell you if it makes sense to report it to the police....I would tell some Saudi friends to see what they think/suggest....and if you are lucky and you know a western friendly Saudi with wasta...that nutcase who wants to make goulash out of you, might on the way to some "special treatment....if you don't know any Saudis, talk to some Arabic friends.
Hope that helps a bit.
All the best, and STAY SAFE!
Oh, and defo tell your company!
