Qatari authorities have taken a man into police custody this morning after he allegedly assaulted a security guard at the US Embassy in Doha.
In an email to American citizens in Qatar, the US Embassy confirmed the incident, saying the guard suffered only superficial injuries.
Speaking to Doha News, an embassy spokesperson could not confirm any details about the detained individual, or any motive for the assault.
But it appears unlikely that it has to do with the political climate in the region, as the the statement said:
“While there is no change to the overall security environment in Qatar, we use this opportunity to remind U.S. citizens of our standing security guidance.”
Advice offering by the embassy included:
- Avoiding large public gatherings;
- Having a plan in the event one encounters demonstrations or violence;
- Identifying safe areas such as hospitals and police stations and knowing how to get to them quickly;
- Telling co-workers or neighbors where you’re going and when you plan to return;
- Always carrying a cell phone with emergency numbers pre-programming into it;
- Being prepared to postpone or cancel activities for safety reasons; and
- Reporting any concerns to the embassy at 4496-6700.
Thoughts?
A bystander happened to eavesdrop over the conversation, and the “individual” was allegedly heard shouting:”This iPhone goes wherever I go, try and stop me” /s
That’s what you get when you own an iPhone: trouble.
First time I agree with you. ANDROID POWER!
For real or are you making it up
/s is used to denote sarcasm
American advice is absurd.
As an American, I fully understand the frustration. The first 30 to 60 minutes of security can put anyone off their day. The guards are Nepalese, African Nationals and Indian Nationals…their English is weak at best and their manner the same. You do not see an a American until you are deep inside and even then you might not see one. As an American it is all a bit degrading. I avoid the US Embassy at all costs. It leaves me feeling less than when I entered. Thank you Barrack for under funding one of the most important public faces of the US Government.
Please refrain from saying such words , these guards are trained and simply doing their work in protecting the embassy compound no matter how big or small the issue is, remember no matter what their nationality is they are on the front line braving the heat and yet put a smile to their face
Disrespecting people won’t garner respect for those guards. They’re rude. I have no interest in their nationality. The American embassy as a whole is the rudest most insulting place you can go to
I am actually baffled by your ignorance, guess we can go to Sudanese embassy for example and see how much of hospitality we receive there. Thank your stars it is not the likes of BlackWater corp guarding the premises, then I guess it is will be the trigger that does the talking
The American Embassy is truly not a welcoming place, and seems only focused on what services they can overcharge their already taxed citizens for like charging $50 a page to notarize documents (a service done for free by a US bank and a notary public in most places charges less than $0.25 a page),
Ignorance? Are you attempting to seem intelligent? Ignorance plays no part in my statement. The fact remains that the disrespectful behaviour is wholly unnecessary. Yes, thankfully blackwater doesn’t guard the embassy but that’s irrelevant. Am I supposed to be grateful that Atila the Hun doesn’t guard the embassy too?
Granted, it is a terrible place, but I’m sure most other embassies in Qatar are like that as well.
I doubt it’s for a lack of funding. American embassies mostly everywhere use local security for the perimeter as cannon fodder and probably to dissuade attackers from thinking they can get a few American kills by ramming the gate.
It’s just that the security agencies here (G4S and the like) don’t pay nor train well enough to get competent security personnel.
Barack…are you really American?
Hiring outside contractors for this work started under Bush II with Cheny and Rumsfeld. It was their idea to save money — or in other words funnel tax payer dough to their friends. Prior to this only Marines would be seen at Embassy gates. This system of using outside contractors and rent a cops will take another decade or two to end. There are contractual obligations.
Assaulting foreign nationals — non Qataries — who get in the way or annoy is too common in Doha. Look at the number of assaults on Kenyan guards or hospital workers here by young Qatari men. That the nationality of the assailant remains unknown (and that he was immediately turned over to local authorities) tells us everything.
My experience with the GS4 guards working there is that they are doing their job under often difficult circumstances this job, however, should be done by US military sitting at the base watching videos.
Not a Qatari… Photos and Information about the incident leaked….
Where? Other papers reported, but did not name the nationality, which is highly unusual.
Where is the info, the photo?
No one in their right mind would spread the photos. The individual is clearly a teenager with his school uniform (private school) still on, with a visibly non-Qatari face.
Nice jump to conclusions “That the nationality of the assailant remains unknown tells us everything”. Racist.
Hmmm, what does a “visibly non-Qatari face” look like?
Qataris are a people of many looks and types of faces. And since when do papers here NOT give the nationality when reporting? That is standard in many parts of the world. It has been noticeably absent in this reporting. Because there is a pattern of young Qataris occasionally assaulting security or foreign hospital workers, guards, etcetera and nationality was oddly not reported, we can make a reasoned guess.
But it is only that — a guess. And it does not matter really.
I hope the practice of not reporting nationality as here, becomes the Journalistic norm.
If you like it when the newspapers don’t report nationality, then why did you find it so important as to reach your own conclusion about it?
You clearly care, but got caught being racist. I’m done here.
I got caught up in being racist?
You are the one writing about “clearly non-Qatari faces.” I just made a reasoned guess based on a deviation from reporting norms and the pattern of assaults on foreign guards, etc. by young Qataris.
Believe me if someone had a picture of a foreign kid assaulting a security guard at the Embassy it would be all over social media. It is not. Inquiring minds wonder why .
And that is not racist. Talk about non- Qatari faces, however……
I’m american and not sure I’ve ever had the same scenario in my numerous trips to the embassy.
Your sa3eedi.
It seems they use them as disposable targets.
In Iraq, in Afghanistan, they use the local soldiers as “human minesweepers “.
If your own government treat you as a cheap commodity, the rest of the world just follow suit!
You feel “degraded” because you are being helped by non-westerners?
Go back to the USA then
I never had any problems over 15 years with the security at US Embassies throughout the Middle East, although I did find consular staff rude & disrespectful.
I can assume by the way the story ended he assaulted one of the contract security guards outside. This story would have ended much differently if he messed with one of the Marines inside. You could probably say he was lucky that he picked who he did.
Yes messing with a Marine would not be a wise decision. Whatever people may think of our past and present President’s use of the military they ARE the best.
Well that is debatable. They are the biggest and have the best tech, (not surprising when the U.S. Spends more on its military than the next ten biggest military countries combined) but the ordinary foot soldier is not particularly great especially operating in overseas environments.
Best trained, best equipped, and aren’t all conflicts fought in an overseas environment?
Best equipped yes, best trained debatable. I’d take the Brits and Israelis over the American soldiers any day.
As you said, debatable.
It certainly is but even American soldiers rate them above their own.
Brits maybe true. Israelis never. American forces are much better than them.
You mean like the Brits that the USMC had to come bail out in Najaf? Its not about the nationality – it just boils down to training. Some groups get more than others. Then there is experience, some have more combat experience than others. I would agree that the US military does a not so great job training – its the first place they cut when budgets are tight – and they equip their people with lots of advanced weapons….sometimes, way to much crap to carry about and fight. But the original comment – there is a big difference between a US Marine guard and the G4S guys or most others. The Embassy guards are some of the most well trained people in the service, with a year of schooling just in their embassy duty alone. These aren’t Beefeaters, they are very effective and properly trained people that I think deserve a bit of respect.
So no other details other than a “person” did this?
The procedures are there for everyone to follow. If you don’t like it go elsewhere.