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December 07, 2006

Losing Your Head

Jimmy Carter calls Israel an apartheid state and
promotes his anti-Jewish piece of propaganda as a serious book.
James Baker thinks Israel should give back the Golan Heights,
and agree to the right of return of millions of Arabs to wipe us
off the map. He also thinks America should talk with Iran--
even as they host a conference of "scholars" to investigate the
historical legitimacy of the Holocaust. While the greatest democracy
in the world is sleeping, the following shows what the world is going to
look like when it wakes up to what is going on in the Arab world.

THE MIDDLE EAST MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Saudi Government-Appointed Executioner Interview Discusses
His Calling and Demonstrates His Weapons and Methods

The following are excerpts from an interview with the Saudi
government-appointed executioner for Mecca, Abdallah
Al-Bishi. The interview aired on the Lebanese LBC TV on
November 4, 2006.

To view the clip, click here.

The People Who Supervise This Field [in Saudi Arabia]
Summoned Me, Saying I Had a Mission

Reporter: "This is the most renowned executioner in Saudi
Arabia, Abdallah Bin Sa'id Al-Bishi, who carries out the
executions. His sword delineates the border between
seriousness and play. There is no negotiating with him once
the heads have ripened. When it's harvesting time, he is the
most suited for the job."

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "I started to work in this field after
the death of my father - about a week or 10 days after his
death, in 1412 [1991-92]. I was surprised that the people
who supervise this field summoned me, saying I had a
mission. Allah be praised. Of course, I did not have swords
or anything back then, but I used the swords of my father,
may he rest in peace, and carried out the execution. My
first mission was to execute three people."

Reporter: "Abu Bader's swords have cut off a hundred heads
and more. His eldest son, Badr, is training in the same
profession. He inherited this profession from his father,
Sa'id Al-Bishi. He remembers how, when still a small boy, he
accompanied him to the beheading of a criminal in Mecca.
That sight, Abu Badr says, was the turning point in his
life."

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "I was at school, and an execution was
set for my father in Mecca. It was to take place in front of
the King Abd Al-'Aziz Gate. Before all that happened at the
Al-Haram Mosque, the executions were held there. We showed
up. I was a little boy. The first thing that came to my mind
when people talked about executions was the digestive
system. I wanted to see it. At that time, we had an exam at
school on the digestive system, and we had to explain about
the digestive system and whatever... So I came along, and
the moment my father executed the man, I ran to see the
digestive system, but all I could see was the man's head
flying, and where the neck used to be, there was a kind of
well. It went down. That's it. I couldn't take it anymore. I
woke up in the car on the way home. At night, I tried to go
to sleep, but couldn't. I had nightmares, but only once.
Then I got used to it, Allah be praised. "

Reporter: "He carries the memory of many events, which
naturally could have an effect on people, but one sees that
he relates to some of them with humor.

"He denies that the executioner is cruel. He considers
himself one of the most compassionate people, and all the
stories about him come from rumors."

This is The Sword I Used on My First Day at Work

Abdallah Al-Bishi [showing a sword]: "Let's start with 'the
Sultan.' I began with this Sultan. This is the sword I used
on my first day at work. This is an old sword. This is a
'Jowhar' sword. All my swords are 'Jowhar.' 'Jowhar' are the
strongest swords used for beheadings. It is not affected by
the number of people beheaded with it. It is made of strong
iron, not the kind that breaks or anything.

[Shows another sword] "This sword is also a Jowhar. Every
sword, of course, is different in its own way, and is suited
for its task. We have a sword - this 'Qaridha,' to be
precise - which is used for vertical strokes. This stroke
is, of course, different from the horizontal one. The
horizontal stroke goes like this [demonstrating]. These are
different strokes."

Dr. Turki Al-Atyan, Saudi Interior Ministry psychologist:
"The rulings of the shari'a - executions or other
punishments decreed by Allah - are carried out by the sword,
not by hanging or by gunfire. In the past, gunfire was used,
and the victim's guardian was allowed to do the shooting,
but out of the fear that possible injustice, Saudi Arabia
decided that executions would be carried out by the sword."

First TV host: "Like we said at the beginning of the show,
the executioner Abdallah Al-Bishi will be joining us
shortly. He is delayed because he is busy carrying out an
execution. He is coming to the show straight from work, and
will be joining us soon.

"There are several executioners in Saudi Arabia, but there
are no accurate figures. According to the figures we
obtained in our research, there are six executioners in
Saudi Arabia, but there may be a few others. There are no
accurate figures."

Second TV host: "They operate in different regions.
Sometimes Abdallah Al-Bishi is asked to travel to another
region, to carry out an execution. We will talk to him about
that, and about the young executioners he has trained."

I Also Cut Off Thieves' Hands And A Hand and a Leg on
Alternate Sides, as is Written in The Koran

First TV host: "Do you cut off hands, or do you just do
beheadings?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "Yes, yes. I carry out the punishment of
cutting off thieves' hands, as well as the cutting off of a
hand and a leg on alternate sides, as is written in the
Koran."

Second TV host: "Abdallah, when you carry out the punishment
of cutting off limbs, do you anesthetize the condemned
person, or is it done without anesthesia, like beheadings?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "With regard to the cutting off of a
hand, or of both a hand and a leg, it is done with local
anesthesia only."

Second TV host: "But the person who is being beheaded is
definitely not anesthetized, right?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "No, he is not anesthetized at all."

First TV host: "Abu Badr, do you remember the first time you
carried out an execution? Do you remember that day?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "I remember it to this day. I was
surprised when the officials in charge asked me to carry out
one of Allah's punishments. When I came, I was told it would
be an execution, and I said: 'No problem.' I took the sword
that used to belong to my father, may he rest in peace... "

First TV host: "How old were you then?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "At that point I was... I was a man."

First TV host: "You are a man at any age, there's no doubt
about that, but how old were you?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "I don't remember exactly - 32 or 35
years old. I began in 1412."

First TV host: "How was the experience, especially since it
was your first time? How did you feel?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "Every person is a bit worried when he
starts a new job, and is afraid he will fail."

I Have Beheaded Many People Who Were My Friends

Second TV host: "Abdallah, what was your most difficult
beheading? Have you ever beheaded someone you knew?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "Yes, I have beheaded many people who
were my friends, but whoever commits an offense brings it on
himself."

First TV host: "A viewer from Riyadh called to ask whether
you execute both men and women. Do you execute women, and do
you feel anything different when you execute a woman or a
man?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "An execution is an execution. The
difference is that sometimes, when you execute a man, he
cannot control his nerves, and sit or stand straight, so
that the job can be done."

First TV host: "As for women, do you feel more compassion
than for men? We know you are merely carrying out [the
sentence], but what do you feel?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "If I felt compassion for the person I
was executing, he would suffer. If the heart is
compassionate, the hand fails.

First TV host: "When you behead more than three or four
people at once, does it affect you? My second question is:
Do you need a break between executions? Does it affect you
or not?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "Allah be praised, there is nothing to
it. Three, four, five, or six - there is nothing to it. It's
entirely normal. An execution is an execution, and as long
as the person stands straight... As long as the person
stands straight, it makes our job much easier."

Second TV host: "Abdallah, we've heard that one day, you
were executing several people, and the sword broke. Is that
true? Tell us that story, please."

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "It was the handle that came off, not the
blade."

First TV host: "Are you training your eldest son Badr or one
of his brothers to do the same job in the future, especially
since you inherited this profession from your father?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "Allah be praised, Badr is about to be
appointed to the position in Riyadh."

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "Like I already said, there is no
difficulty in carrying out this mission. The only thing that
concerns me is that the condemned person finish what he has
to do as quickly as possible."

First TV host: "Abu Badr, what time do you get up? Do you
eat a special breakfast? All these details are very
important to us."

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "I cannot elaborate on the work itself.
On the personal level, I am very normal. I get up in the
morning, pray the Al-Fajr prayer. My breakfast is prepared,
and I eat it. Allah be praised. I wait for the police car to
pick me up, and I go to work. It's all very normal. I finish
the job, and go home. It's all very normal."

Second TV host: "Abdallah, sometimes at executions, the
condemned asks to be pardoned by the victim's family,
right?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "To be pardoned?"

Second TV host: "Do you go and talk to the victim's family?"

Abdallah Al-Bishi: "Yes, yes. I intervene in the
reconciliation efforts. There are many good people on the
scene, who intervene through the authorities or the police.
May Allah reward them all. But the first to mediate is me,
the executioner on the scene."

Hat Tip: Seraphic Friend, Naomi Ragen

Posted by Robert J. Avrech at December 7, 2006 12:34 PM

Comments

Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.

1. No profanity.

2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism.

That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.

Posted by: Tamara at December 7, 2006 01:03 PM

Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at December 7, 2006 01:20 PM

Posted by: Joannah at December 7, 2006 05:23 PM

Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at December 7, 2006 05:40 PM

Posted by: Joannah at December 7, 2006 06:44 PM

Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at December 7, 2006 09:30 PM

Posted by: Xero at January 23, 2010 08:44 AM

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