Saudi king pardons rape victim

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Terrorism wasn't born in the ME, nor do they have the corner market on terror. It's just the soup de jour.

Maybe they didn't invent it, but they are pretty damn good at it!

Are you giving credit to Bin Laden for his successful attacks against the U.S.?

Of course. Should I be in denial? It was a VERY successful attack.

I see it more as a failure on our end than a success on his end.

[mawilson 2,133]

Terrorism wasn't born in the ME, nor do they have the corner market on terror. It's just the soup de jour.

Maybe they didn't invent it, but they are pretty damn good at it!

Are you giving credit to Bin Laden for his successful attacks against the U.S.?

Of course. Should I be in denial? It was a VERY successful attack.

I see it more as a failure on our end than a success on his end.

Who are you kidding? It took years of planning and no-one had a feckin' clue! It's just as much a success on his end as a failure on ours.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Terrorism wasn't born in the ME, nor do they have the corner market on terror. It's just the soup de jour.

Maybe they didn't invent it, but they are pretty damn good at it!

Are you giving credit to Bin Laden for his successful attacks against the U.S.?

Of course. Should I be in denial? It was a VERY successful attack.

I see it more as a failure on our end than a success on his end.

Who are you kidding? It took years of planning and no-one had a feckin' clue! It's just as much a success on his end as a failure on ours.

Without rehashing history here...young foreign men from countries that were known terrorist hotbeds taking flying lessons should have aroused suspicion and it did. It's just that the people that should have acted on that intelligence didn't. 9/11 will go down in history as one of the biggest failures of counter-terrorism intelligence.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

That was awfully nice of him.

agreed

A sign of weakness I say. What's next? Life terms for homosexuals instead of execution?

[mawilson 2,133]

That was awfully nice of him.

agreed

A sign of weakness I say. What's next? Life terms for homosexuals instead of execution?

I know! They are really getting soft. I mean, letting that teddy-bear woman go after she assaulted Islam?

Not even 50 lashes for her heinous crime?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

That was awfully nice of him.

agreed

A sign of weakness I say. What's next? Life terms for homosexuals instead of execution?

I know! They are really getting soft. I mean, letting that teddy-bear woman go after she assaulted Islam?

Not even 50 lashes for her heinous crime?

Next thing you know the Saudis will abandon executions altogether before we do leaving us all alone in the stone ages.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

That was awfully nice of him.

agreed

A sign of weakness I say. What's next? Life terms for homosexuals instead of execution?

I know! They are really getting soft. I mean, letting that teddy-bear woman go after she assaulted Islam?

Not even 50 lashes for her heinous crime?

Next thing you know the Saudis will abandon executions altogether before we do leaving us all alone in the stone ages.

Jersey finally banned the death penalty for good. When are the rest of you neanderthals gonna catch up?

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

That was awfully nice of him.

agreed

A sign of weakness I say. What's next? Life terms for homosexuals instead of execution?

I know! They are really getting soft. I mean, letting that teddy-bear woman go after she assaulted Islam?

Not even 50 lashes for her heinous crime?

Next thing you know the Saudis will abandon executions altogether before we do leaving us all alone in the stone ages.

Jersey finally banned the death penalty for good. When are the rest of you neanderthals gonna catch up?

maybe jersey was runnning low on electricity, bullets and drugs again

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

That was awfully nice of him.

agreed

A sign of weakness I say. What's next? Life terms for homosexuals instead of execution?

I know! They are really getting soft. I mean, letting that teddy-bear woman go after she assaulted Islam?

Not even 50 lashes for her heinous crime?

Next thing you know the Saudis will abandon executions altogether before we do leaving us all alone in the stone ages.

Jersey finally banned the death penalty for good. When are the rest of you neanderthals gonna catch up?

maybe jersey was runnning low on electricity, bullets and drugs again

Low on bullets and drugs? I wish

[Emo 0]

By ABDULLAH SHIHRI, Associated Press Writer 18 minutes ago

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - A gang-rape victim who was sentenced to six months in prison and 200 lashes for being alone with a man not related to her was pardoned by the Saudi king after the case sparked rare criticism from the United States, the kingdom's top ally.

Outrage over the sentence prompted unusually strong comments from President Bush, who said that if the same thing had happened to one of his daughters, he would be "angry" at a government that didn't protect the victim. The White House called the sentence "outrageous."

In past weeks, Saudi officials have bristled at the criticism of what they consider an internal affair — but also appeared wary of hurting their image in the United States.

Bush's National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the White House thinks the Saudi king "he made the right decision" by pardoning the woman.

With the pardon, King Abdullah appeared to be aiming at relieving the pressure from the United States without being seen to criticize Saudi Arabia's conservative legal system, a stronghold of powerful clerics adhering to the strict Wahhabi interpretation of Islam.

Justice Minister Abdullah bin Mohammed al-Sheik said the pardon reported by Saudi media Monday does not mean the king doubted the country's judges, but that he was acting in the "interests of the people."

"The king always looks into alleviating the suffering of the citizens when he becomes sure that these verdicts will leave psychological effects on the convicted people, though he is convinced and sure that the verdicts were fair," al-Sheik said, according to the Al-Jazirah newspaper.

"Certainly, we're pleased that that action occurred," State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said. "I think everyone was rather astonished by the initial verdict and I hope this puts this case to rest. We're glad that this particular case has been dealt with and that the king has taken the actions that he has."

The victim — known only as the "Girl of Qatif" after her hometown in eastern Saudi Arabia — was in a car with a man in 2006 when they were attacked and raped by seven men.

She was initially sentenced in November 2006 to several months in prison and 90 lashes for being alone in a car with a man with whom she was neither related nor married, a violation of the kingdom's strict segregation of the sexes.

The woman, who was 19 at the time of the rape, has said she met the man to retrieve a picture of herself from him because she had recently married.

The seven men who were convicted of raping both the girl and the man were initially sentenced to jail terms from 10 months to five years. Their sentences were increased to between two and nine years after the appeal.

The case sparked increased international outcry recently after the court more than doubled the sentence last month to 200 lashes and six months prison in response to her appeal. Joining the U.S. criticism, Canada called the ruling barbaric.

Earlier this month, Bush expressed his anger over the sentencing.

"My first thoughts were these," Bush said. "What happens if this happens to my daughter? How would I react? And I would have been — I'd of been very emotional, of course. I'd have been angry at those who committed the crime. And I'd be angry at a state that didn't support the victim."

The controversy erupted as the United States was trying to ensure Saudi Arabia's participation in the November Mideast peace conference in Annapolis, Md. — which the kingdom attended.

In the U.S. ahead of the conference, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal was visibly irritated when he was asked about the case by journalists. He said that the storm being raised over it was outrageous, but also promised the sentence would be reviewed.

The kingdom's Justice Ministry has defended the sentence, saying the girl was having an illicit affair with the man.

Al-Sheik said Abdullah was the only official who could issue a pardon, and he did so despite the government's view that the Saudi legal system was "honest" and "fair."

"The king's order consolidates and confirms what is known about the Islamic courts," al-Sheik told Al-Jazirah. "Efficient judges look into different cases and issue their just verdicts and those convicted have the right to appeal."

Attempts to reach the woman's lawyer by telephone went unanswered Monday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071217/ap_on_...t5VqJlU8k.s0NUE

The real Justice

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ItH8zHpaMgo&feature=related

[Risto 0]

That was awfully nice of him.

agreed

A sign of weakness I say. What's next? Life terms for homosexuals instead of execution?

I know! They are really getting soft. I mean, letting that teddy-bear woman go after she assaulted Islam?

Not even 50 lashes for her heinous crime?

Yea They let the tattoo artist and his camel get away

[Peikko 1,575]

Damned impudent Saudis going all PC on us, whatever next?

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

That was awfully nice of him.

agreed

A sign of weakness I say. What's next? Life terms for homosexuals instead of execution?

I know! They are really getting soft. I mean, letting that teddy-bear woman go after she assaulted Islam?

Not even 50 lashes for her heinous crime?

Yea They let the tattoo artist and his camel get away

long time no see risto, where ya been? i miss seeing you post around here.

[mawilson 2,133]

long time no see risto, where ya been? i miss seeing you post around here.

Yeah no kiddin'. Mahmoud's Wife missed you too!

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

long time no see risto, where ya been? i miss seeing you post around here.

Yeah no kiddin'. Mahmoud's Wife missed you too!