Three Arab states -- Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates --- are condemning the beheading of American Nicholas Berg by his Iraqi captors, shown in a video that appeared on an Islamist Web site. "There is no doubt that killing detainees and mutilating the remains of the dead are acts which are condemned by all religions and contrary to the morals of all nations and peoples," Saudi Ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan said in a statement released Wednesday. "The Al-Zarqawi group is a criminal, deviant and un-Islamic group, allied with bin Laden and the criminals of Al Qaeda who are killing even Muslims and Arabs for no reason. Accordingly, it is not out of character for them to commit acts that violate the teachings of Islam, a noble religion that deplores such acts."
The Jordanian Embassy in Washington issued its own release, decrying the beheading. "Jordan strongly condemns the barbaric act committed against Mr. Nick Berg, a U.S. contractor in Iraq, by the terrorist group headed by Abu Al Zarqawi. Jordan has issued a death sentence against Al Zarqawi for his terrorist activities which threatened to kill thousands of Jordanian citizens and for plotting attacks against U.S. and foreign interests in Jordan."
The United Arab Emirates called the killing a "heinous crime against the civilized world." "We are ashamed because these terrorists carried out this revolting and inhumane act in the name of our religion and culture," UAE Information Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan said in a written statement. "This disgusting brutality can never be justified and has nothing to do with Islam or with our Arab values." He also extended the UAE’s condolences to the family of Berg, saying, "We pray for them to find the courage and strength to deal with their loss."
Iraqi Human Rights Minister Bakhtiar Amin said Iraq would do everything within its power to bring Berg’s killers to justice. "Those psychopaths who committed this immoral crime should be brought before justice very rapidly and get their deserved punishment," Amin said.
The ol’ surprise meter twitched a little. It could be background noise. I haven’t calibrated it in some time. |