A Qatari man was among more than two dozen people sentenced to jail time by a Saudi court this week for plotting an attack on members of the US armed forces based here and in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia’s state news agency has said.
Qatar is home to the largest US Air Force base in the Middle East.
Late on Tuesday, it said 13 individuals – the Qatari, an Afghani and 11 Saudis – had been given sentences ranging from 18 months to 30 years in prison for crimes that included “joining an extremist group,” the name of which was not specified.
Reuters reported that the Qatari is accused of being the leader of the group, and was handed a 30-year sentence, after which he will be deported to Doha.
On Wednesday, the news agency said a further 14 defendants were ordered imprisoned for terms ranging from six months to 23 years, but made no mention of nationalities.
Both groups of defendants were said to be among 41 individuals who were “working together to form a terror cell in Qatar with the aim of attacking the Kuwait-and-Qatar-based U.S. forces and other grave crimes,” Saudi Arabia said.
No details were provided on when the individuals were arrested or the specific nature of their plans. A spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment to Doha News.
Attack plans
However, news agency AFP reported that the men intended to attack American forces in Qatar with hand grenades, rockets and other weapons. Additionally, it said the organization planned to send an individual to Iraq to learn how to make vehicle bombs that could target foreign soldiers.
The personnel and equipment stationed at the US Air Force base in Qatar play a key role in the western country’s operations throughout the region.
Military personnel stationed at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base reportedly coordinated some four dozen fighter and bomber missions over Afghanistan daily as late as December 2013, as well as controlling US drone flying over Afghanistan and Iraq.
In 2013, the US Air Force bolstered security at the military facility by erecting hundreds of 16-foot blast walls around the base.
In recent months, Saudi Arabia has rounded up and convicted dozens of individuals within its territory that it said were plotting violent attacks inside and outside the country.
After several Gulf states, including Qatar, joined a US-led aerial bombing campaign against ISIL targets in Syria, the US State Department warned that the organization and its sympathizers may launch reprisal attacks against its coalition partners.
AFP reported late last month that Jabhat Al Nusra, an armed group fighting in Syria, had threatened to launch retaliatory attacks against those countries that participated in airstrikes against ISIL.
Citing a video published online, AFP quoted a spokesperson for the group as saying the states involved in the mission had “committed a horrible act that is going to put them on the list of jihadist targets throughout the world.”
Thoughts?
The elephant in the room that is never discussed is they are many sympathisers amongst the khaleji for various Islamic groups, hey even one qatari who worked for the government is accused of sending funds to very nasty groups in Syria and Iraq. The idea of an Islamic state or an Islamic world appeals to them and just a few take up arms to fight the unbelievers but there are also many although not actively involved sympathise with their cause
Those who are not ‘actively involved’ are doing there best to eliminate infidels on the roads of Qatar.
How about the EC students who went and fought with Al Nusrah? I know at least one of them was killed fighting for “the cause”. Seems that info is being shielded from everyone.
As I recall, the ISIS man who beheaded the American journalist was in fact British, and we do know of many other Westerns, including Americans, who joined ISIS.
You must mean with British and American passports
And they represent a minority of Brits and americans
I get what you’re saying; however, many of them were in fact born and raised there. There was even recently a very odd case of a Jewish French girl, 18 years, who traveled to Turkey and then crossed the borders to join ISIS.
Actually one of the students, whom I knew, was Jordanian but lived here for a long time. Nowhere did I say he was Qatari. Again, reading is fundamental. Duh! But I’m more interested in why this story is not being reported.
We really don’t know at this time who he is, where he’s from, etc. Just because he spoke with a western accent means little at this point.
lol What in God’s name is a Western accent?! Actually, you’re more than welcome to Google and you’ll find that he’s been identified. Regardless; Westerns who sympathies with Islamic extremist are hardly a new thing. It’s well documented that many have joined Al Qeada, and ISIS is even doing a better job recruiting them.
Anyway, if you’re in the U.S., the odds of you being killed by someone from ISIS or the likes are very low, compared to the odds that an angry White male, unhappy with the slow but steady loss of his white privilege, will just decided to express his views with another one of those mass shootings. But I’m sure you’d still feel safer there than in Qatar 😉
Unless someone decides to strangle and knife me then burn my body.
They claim to have identified him. So NOW your believe american propaganda at face value?
If you see the profiles of many of these guys you’ll quickly understand that they are anything but British, their family background, their upbringing, the circles they grew up in, do not represent typical or average British anything. They were born there, they lived there, but it was always a parallel existance in direct conflict with their surroundings
What about the converts who join ISIS?
Clearly they’re not mentally stable individuals, a lot of them come from a violent, drug fuelled background until they see the light and go off the deep end chopping heads off. Could have just as easily found a cause with a different twist and expressed their insanity in an equally murderous way but completely unconnected to ISIS. It’s just that the latter is currently on offer for anyone who wants to have a go, recruitment is at full steam and all applicants are accepted
no details about the groups defence? did they plea guilty? were they given a trial? or are we just taking the saudi governments word on this?
You’re kidding right? As if Saudi would consider giving such details, same goes for most countries in the region
Like Qatar
I certainly wouldn’t trust Saudi justice and you can’t say its transparent.
Some state the world has got itself to. Wars, terrorist attacks, deadly viruses… Just a few days ago I was chatting with a friend who lives in Canada, talking about how safe life is there, so much for that as well now
Aside from the Ebola crises they all have one common denominator.
http://www.juancole.com/2013/04/terrorism-other-religions.html
Quote from author of your pie chart…”I don’t figure that Muslims killed more than a 2 million people or so in political violence in the entire twentieth century, and that mainly in the Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988 and the Soviet and post-Soviet wars in Afghanistan, for which Europeans bear some blame.”
“I don’t figure…” doesn’t give me much confidence in his so called research. And he’s counting political violence not the hundreds killed, often in a single day, from pure religious terrorism. I can clearly recall 3,000 on one certain single day. Nigeria, Somalia, Libya, Sudan, Mali, Algeria, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, ….. all in just a normal day it seems.
Considering almost 2 million were killed in Iran/Iraq War and up to 3 million during the Bangladesh/Pakistan war, that’s 5 million. Add into that 200,000 so far in Syria, nearly 1 million Armenians by Turkey,… Figures don’t add up.
even if you triple those figures they dont even begin to compare to numbers from western nations.
genocide of native americans
the killing of millions of africans
the holodomor
ww1 and 2
westerners are just much better at the systemic and organised massacring of millions
I think the difference here is that Europeans were involved or started wars in the 20th century that killed millions but did not do it in the name of religion, whereas Islam has been quoted as the reason for killing others in multiple conflicts and multiple terrorist acts. (Disclaimer, the Catholic Church did sponsor the Crusades that did kill in the name of Christianity but that was a 1000 years ago)
“century that killed millions but did not do it in the name of religion”
arguable even now there are some that use religion to justify the war in Iraq, in every major war religion always at least plays a part.
No Mohammed, they use Extremism to justify war in Iraq and lets not forget the west is now bombing there (Upon request) to stop Extremists killing Muslims.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/most-evangelical-leaders-still-support-iraq-war-31154/
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/02/evangelical-christians-want-to-start-wwiii-to-speed-the-second-coming-and-atheist-neocons-are-using-religion-to-rile-them-up-to-justify-war-against-iran.html
http://www.rense.com/general72/ssome.htm
Hum I am not sure of the point? So is it like because one does it-it justifies Muslim’s killing because they haven’t done as much? I do not condone killing innocence in the name of any religion and I don’t see the point in pointing fingers. Plus the guys article is horrible. Muslims have had internal conflict for centuries and yes we have killed each other in the name of religion for centuries (the Shia and Sunni conflict is not new or the strife between Arab Christians and Arab Muslims,etc) As did the Europeans have internal struggles, so did we. As said by MIMH most of Europes wars of the 20th c were political and proxy wars. Plus the reason they had so much death was because of the constant development of technology and warfare. If it was vice versa and let’s say Muslim nations went thru that advancement…maybe it would be the same or more outcome. I just really don’t get the point of articles or graphs like this.
Nope, it’s not about justification, but simply exposing the prejudice of those who claim that Islam and Muslims are violent while the rest are peaceful 🙂
I don’t think that was implied; we all know everywhere around the world has had some violent state in history. Just at this point it is mostly in our region and is being perpetuated as a religious war internally and externally.That is how it is. Of course not all Muslims are violent and I do not believe any rational individual would make that assumption. Many just want peaceful quiet and happy lives just like anybody else.
I would like to congratulate whoever eventually wins this argument to be labelled the lesser evil, something to really be proud of.
Abdulrahman, I like you and most of the things you say I can see where you are coming from – but this lets you down…… Stating that all the European fighting over the last century was Religious is just wrong and cannot be compared, the little pie chart proves nothing except some people will believe anything they see on the Internet.
he didn’t say it was religious fighting, he just said it was done by Christians of European heritage.
Why was they Christians? Where does it say that?
“Why was they Christians?”
are you asking why were Europeans Christian?
“Where does it say that?”
you mean where in mr abdurahmans comments does it say killing was done by Christians of European heritage? i believe it says so clearly in the Pie chart, which your welcome to disagree with but you can argue all you like. fact remains every Muslim killing in the 20th century combined doest compare with the numbers of those killed by Europeans in ww2 alone
You are Assuming that all Europeans are Christians – That is nonsense. I am aiming these comments at the Pie Chart as being inaccurate. Point is non of those wars were over Religion, they were over politics – Big difference
“You are Assuming that all Europeans are Christians – That is nonsense”
ofcourse not, just saying at the time most would at least identify themselves as Christian even if not practising.
” I am aiming these comments at the Pie Chart as being inaccurate”
and you can argue all you want fact remains European Christians are much much better at killing
” Point is non of those wars were over Religion, they were over politics – Big difference”
they were still committed by people who are a product of European culture and religion. is killing and invading in the name of an empire better if that empire isn’t religious?
I have to disagree. Religion does not have a bearing on most western upbringing except maybe being christened, a wedding and a funeral. You can remove most of the Russian deaths as they were instructed to be Atheist under Stalin so thats anywhere from 50-75m and seeing as Hitler was generally known to be Roman Catholic but Nazism did not include churches in its idealogy you would have to remove the Germans too. That brings the number down quite a lot, but lets not let facts get in the way of a pie chart. 🙂
” Religion does not have a bearing on most western upbringing except maybe being christened, a wedding and a funeral”
all the Christians i met back in church disagree with you.
also hitler was Christian, most Nazis were Christian, Germany was a Christian counter so it counts sorry. the French were Christian and they killed millions, the dutch as well and lets not forget the English empire, the spanish and america. stalin was an athiest but the Russians carrying out his orders were Christian. Europeans have committed more crimes than anyone els and caused more long term damage to the world than anyone els be that out of religous or imperialist desires
Seems sensible comments are being deleted now, so I will leave you to think about this.
The Christians don’t have a monopoly on Crusades 😉
And the argument is lame. Religion did not cause WW2 and did not manage to intervene to end it. WW2 was a humanitarian disaster caused by a complete crackpot wanting to take over the world with a crazy ideology. Good job we won it else you wouldnt be here to have this conversation with me unless of course you have blue eyes and blonde hair.
All european empires were run by crackpots with ideas of racial superiority wanting to take over the world. Saying your empire was less evil than the nazi’s isn’t really something to be proud off. Unless you really set the bar that low.
You are either not reading what I am putting or not understanding me as that response makes no sense.
correct me if im wrong but your trying to say war crimes committed by Europeans weren’t done in the name of religion therefore are not “Christian crimes”. im saying the Europeans who committed those crimes (soldiers, officials, leaders. high ranking military personal and their civilian supporters) were mostly Christian and therefore their crimes are still Christian crimes (European Christians if you want to be specific).
I understand now. In which case you are wrong. Check my post about the Stalinist Russians and the Nazis. Also none of the WW’s had anything to do with religion, it was political.
The only wars/conflicts/fighting where Religion was involved was Ireland and the Balkans
you’re repeating yourself. the nazi’s were still Christian, Germany was a majority Christian country, so was Russia, the uk and france. the people who committed the crimes were Christians. hence their crimes fall under European Christian crimes
Let me make this simple. Just because of where Europeans are born does not automatically tie us to a religion. Forget the catholic countries and what you have left mostly are sgnostic. That means they do not follow a religion, it also means they are not christian. Do a little research into what Stalin and communism thought about religion and what the Nazis thought about it. Hundreds of years ago you would have a point, not in the 20th century though. Why are you trying to say it had anything to do with religion is beyond me and I have wasted enough time trying to explain. Goodnight
How are you defining Christian? Someone who’s just Christian on paper? Or someone who believes in and practices the religion?
anyone who refers to himself as Christian is Christian in my book, anyone who refers to himself as Muslim is a Muslim in my book regardless or that persons level of practice or belief. here is a list of % of christians in europe today, i assume it would have been higher in the last century
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_by_country
Hah, that’s a laugh. I know a Muslim guy who eats pork, drinks alcohol, doesn’t pray or fast and has never set foot in a mosque, really knows next to nothing about Islam, yet refers to himself as Muslim. Equally I knows Christians who are the same in their own respect yet answer the same question with “Christian”. I call them both hypocrites, and all these stats are therefore useless. The only difference I see is when one person is actively saying he’s on a war path because his religion commands him, and the other is just taking orders from a superior, and up the chain it goes to an elected head of state. Don’t get me wrong though, when it comes to religion, I award both prizes for mass murder
Thank you for your kind words.
Actually, I didn’t state anything; i just gave a link to someone who may have had such a view.
I don’t disagree with what you’re saying; I only hope that people looking at all the fighting going own in Muslim countries don’t just automatically blame it on religion, which someone here have implied, and at times flat out said it.
I know, It may seem I am bashing here but I am not. I spend half my day correcting ignorance on my facebook page where people have gotten all excited after watching Fox/CNN or reading the Daily Mail. As I worded carefully earlier, I blame extremism not Religion.
Now can we see the pie chart for the 21st Century? Since that’s the one we’re living in.
You’re more than welcome to look it up 🙂
Not bothered, I just wanted to see if you post was relevant to today. If you can’t provide any proof of that I’m just going to go ahead and assume you can’t.
Feel free to assume whatever you want to, I’m not responsible for your assumptions 🙂
Nope, but are responsible for your claims. Since what you claim is a load of rubbish, I thought people should see that, now they have. Job done.
Actually dear I made no claims whatsoever, you just chose to assume whatever it is your assuming from my non-comment. That you chose to react so strongly to my non-comment speaks for itself.
I had previously provided links for the type of information you’ve asked for, and the other person chose to dismiss them. So do excuse me, or don’t, if I don’t have time to waste on this.
So you just put a picture that misinforms people that Christians are responsible for genocide, just for the sake of it? That’s really what you’re saying?
Kindly read the comment I was replying to; the person was hinting something along the lines of, “Not all Muslims are terrorists, but most terrorists are Muslims.”
Abdulrahman,
I hope you are doing well. I have a question for you, but please do not take it in a bad way. I am just curious to know how old you are… If you feel that you are not comfortable answering me, then it is all fine.
Thanks 🙂
Well at least one “ally” has our back. Of course the Qatari was deported to Qatar and I’m sure I’ll enjoy a coffee with him one day at Villagio unaware of who he actually is. Probably declare jihad on me when I ask him to stop smoking inside the mall.
lol Yes, Saudia has your back! Must explain why the Prince Sultan base was closed, officially at least, and all those bombings of buildings and compounds! You should totally move there, I’m sure you’d love it there so much more, and your family will love it too. After all Saudia is the “America” of the Muslim world 😉
Nowhere in the story does it say that the man was deported to Qatar; no need to make stuff up just to use as an excuse to tell us how much loathe Qataris because all they want to do is kill you.
Quote from Story:
“Reuters reported that the Qatari is accused of being the leader of the group, and was handed a 30-year sentence, after which he will be deported to Doha.”
I never said he was in Qatar now. Although I wouldn’t doubt he’s given a same deal as the others and Qatar makes a double secret promise to keep him under wraps and he shows up in London or NY trying to enter said cities airports.
Please learn reading comprehension.
And if you noticed I put “ally” in quotes. Denotes sarcasm.
After he serves his 30 years sentence. I cannot imagine you being here by then.
Inshaallah