Teenage Girl Faces Beheading in Saudi Arabia

Yup. That sounds like the real world of Saudi Arabia. Not as nice as they would like us to believe.

America Is so hippocritical going around the world taling about Cuba and other countries who rule differntly than demoractic yet I never see them condemm the Saudi Arabia the country that most of all the 911 originated. That just goes to show you that they were about the money. All the soilders dying in vain. Now this country is going to behead ayoung poor girl from anther country Stand up against that after you are about to trade mass amounts oil for bombs and weapons that are probaly be use against Americans some-day. How can a counrty who say they staND FOR JUSTICE ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. And conitiue a relationshop with this without saying a word. Money more than democracy and every one needs to know that freedom is purchasing power not law or idiology.

And this is our alli. A country were people, especially women, are treated so horrible, and we are arming them.

I bet that the only thing this woman is guilty of is ignorance and neglect. Barbarism is alive and well. This problem is not unique to Saudia Arabia or even the Arab World. I hope that world leaders make an effort to lobby for mercy for this woman. Ideally, President Bush would make a phone call. However George H.W. Bush or Jimmy Carter would also be effective. Terrorism has some terrible side-effects. This is one of them, in my opinion.

Beheading or gas-chamber… they both produce death… just one cost the tax-payer tens of thousands of dollars, and the other nothing but a dramatic visual.

Interesting case; did the Saudi family NOT KNOW that the Sri Lankan had no experience caring for infants? If they knew, then THEY are culpable, not the girl. Did the Sri Lankan girl TELL them that she had no experience caring for infants? Again, if she did, THEY are responsible, not her. If she hid that fact, and still took the responsibility of caring for the child, then SHE is responsible.
Then again, society in the Kingdom is so vastly different than that of anywhere else on the planet, and hey, it’s their country…their laws, right?

This is nothing new reagarding the Saudis and their treatment of third world laborers. When they do get around to paying their employees, it’s about as close to slave wages one can come to.
A street sweeper in Jeddah was reported eearning $52 per month and he was trying to support a family back home.
I was there when an Indian had an eye sugically removed for having tossed acid at a co-worker and blinding him in one eye.
Human rights in Saudi?? Forget it! As long as these people are pumping out oil, no one is going to give a damn about a baby sitter about to be beheaded and other abuses that takes place in that nation. These are George bush friends.

Saudi Arabia is not our friend. And inspite of the obscene wealth of its “royalty” which they did not acquire themselves, they are not living in this century.

What a disgrace for the Bush Administration to be in Saudi Arabia trying to sell weopens to these barbarians. Friends? NOT

we dont know what happened; but we do know that a baby is dead. i daresay that in the u.s. this woman would be convicted in public opinion BEFORE the trial. and there is the death penalty for murder in the u.s. so why is it that it is seen as “barbaric” when another country has the same law?

This is one of the reasons I left Egypt many years ago. I am the son of an American father and an Egyptian woman.
In my teens I had to choose which culture I wanted to live in. America was my choice after I had seen and experienced so much cruelty and abuse in Egypt, and the other “Muslim” countries where we lived. Saudi Arabia is still in the Dark Ages. It is a barbaric, frightening place to live in if you are not part of the royal hierarchy .

The US will stop dealing with the Middle East when we as citizens, consumers and voters decide to dramatically scale back our dependance on oil. That means we stop buying the Humvees, and big trucks and SUV’s.

Next thing I’ll be hearing is that China is using healthy people to sell their bady parts…..Come on, these are most favored nations for trade, they wouldn’t do things like this!!!

Agreed this is a very sad case because the convict is a young girl.
But the question here is: If she is guilty as charged (deliberate murder), should her life be taken for having taken another life, younger than her?
We strongly feel sympathy for the young girl because she is alive and do not feel such sympathy for the infant because he is dead. But not so the parents of the dead infant. They still are emotionally overcome by the grief of the death of their beloved infant son and by an equally strong hatred for the girl who caused his death.
If the law of the land states that the penalty for deliberate murder is death then the only hope is for the parents of the dead infant to get over their grief and pardon the girl. And please note that such pardons only happen in Arab Muslim countries, not in any other country. In other countries there is no law for next of kin of the victom to pardon a murderer. In this form of justice the Arab Muslim countries are better off than USA and the rest of the world.
As the sentence is not yet carried out, there is still chance the parents of the dead infant could forgive the girl. And please note that such forgiveness would not be a precedent. either.
We can only hope that with time the parents will calm down enough to pardon the girl. This is better than no hope at all if the girl had been in another country with a death sentence hanging over her head, after due process of law (represented by an attorney and all that)

Anthony Tomei, the US is not a police state (have you been outside?), these practices in Suadi Arabia have gone on for centuries, and The Simpsons is pure comic genius…

Yasser R
Not One single Muslim country is as backward as saudi , do not generalize . im sorry you did not like it in Egypt I did . I had a fantastic time . my kids loved eating at TGIFridays looking over the nile , or Visiting the Pharonic village where services were of the best quality . our stay in Mena House was amazing and we did not mingle with royality. i had no problem wearing shorts either . I also live in morocco where if there is a crime , you go to Court , you dont get beheaded . we dont do beheading in Algeria either nor morocco.
Even Syria and Iran are not as backward .
do you know that thousands of Jews still Live in iran , where Maurice Motamed is a member of parliament. where women are part of parliament , drive cars, own businesses, christians have their different churches in iran and the zorostrians also have their temples . sure there is a lot to be done in iran compared to Saudi , but in saudi , ONLY ISLAM is accepted (and that s not what Islam teaches us )
So to call Saudi a Moderate is a sick Joke . syria has women as Ministers , and they drive cars , Unlike saudi women and work and can wear tee shirts and jeans if they want no one will force Syrian women to cover their faces . but the world is upside down and Bush says so .

How did the child died?

This is none of America’s business.
Oh yes it is. I’m not for military exploits, embargoeing or anything of the sort. However, I and other American citizens have an interest in knowing things like this. I’m a former international school teacher who is seriously considering resuming that part of my career. However, after learning things like this (I’d already heard just as bad), I’d NEVER consider taking a job in this God-awful country, even though the salaries there are very high. I should hope that others contemplating similar business transactions with Saudis would also react to this kind of thing by staying away from them.
Again–nothing governmental–but informed people involved in PRIVATE international business need to know what an evil society this one is.

this is the moderate part of middle east. imagine the rest of them.

Anyone that still believes 19 Arabs were behind 9-11 is either hopelessly stupid, delusional and/or complicit in the lies that have been disseminated since 9-11

This is outrageous. Its really wrong for the saudis to have different law systems for the other nationals.

I find it utterly preposterous that a monsterous cabal governing Saudi Arabia could be allowed to execute an innocent and exploited young person. It makes one lose faith for the future of humankind.

Social justice is a serious issue in every nation, including the U.S. I am more displeased with our government for selling weapons to third world nations who will use them to decimate their citizens, than Saudi Arabia for punishing one young woman unjustly. Sales of weapons world-wide is a great threat to world peace. We must stop our elected officials from bowing to corrupt business interests by allowing them to perpetuate the sales of weapons internationally. The U.S. should not allow sales of weapons no matter how much international trade is generated, or what American companies benefit from those sales. World peace will never have a chance if modern industrial nations continue to sell weapons to less fortunate politically unstable nations.

The US President happily signed off on mentally handicapped people being executed, whilst he was Governor of Texas.
You’re currently putting “American” children in orphanages whilst deporting their parents as illegal migrants.
Your homeland security have been running an active multiple murderer as an informant, whilst covering up his crimes and firing the senior agent who complains about the morality of such actions…
You don’t have the right to look down on anyone.

I knew this stuff was going on 20 years ago when I considered and decided against contracting in Saudi Arabia. Many stories have brought to light how the women are second rate citizens in Saudi Arabia. But Foreigners are considered third rate. And Foreign women are forth rate.
A contractor stationed in Saudi Arabia was driving and a national drove thru a stop sign at a high rate of speed and hit the contractors car and got killed. The contractor survived, but was ultimately tried and convicted and executed. The reason, there would not have been an accident and the national would have lived if the foreigner would not have been there.
They complain about how Israel treats non Jews as second rate citizens. But Israel is doing nothing compared to what the Saudis are doing to the non citizens.

Having lived in Saudi for 30 years I see two side of the issue. Yes, domestic workers are sometimes ill-treated, but most are not. AND all Saudi families seem to think they must have domestic help. Stories were always swirling around about these types of situations. But I also saw a great deal of warmth towards domestic help.
As for the criminal system, foreigners are often not treated equally. The justice system is swift and perhaps harse. However, you will not see two released barbarians killing three members of a family, after a day of torture, as we recently saw here. Given our ‘slap on the hand’ criminal justice I think I would opt for the quick, and most often fair, system of Saudi.
As for women in Saudi Arabia, I beg to differ with many comments posted. I worked with Saudi’s on a one to one basis for many years, and had not one experience where I was looked down upon. On the contrary, I was always treated with the utmost respect. I am not one of those who lived in a compound and never even met a Saudi, as do most of those who work in Saudi. My life was living and working with some very nice people, who loved their families and wanted to move ahead in life much as we do here in the U.S. and other ‘developed’ coutries.

Why is the mind controlling press not talking about how the baby was murdered? Trying to brainwash us Americans into accepting illegal criminal Mexican aliens who need to be deported. The press is the problem!

i’m alittle further right politacally than atilla the hun, but this country should do something about saudi arabia,we can’t allow any country to be more inhumane than we the people.

“So what, she killed a child in her care and Saudi Law proscribes the death penalty which just happens to be beheading. FACT, beheading is an incredibly kind way of checking out – quicker, less painful, and more merciful than lethal injection.
Posted by: Curt Maynard | Aug 1, 2007 4:31:01 PM”
I’m sorry, but you are apparently unaware that the manner in which beheading is carried out is generally neither quick nor painless. You are perhaps picturing a French Revolution period guillotine-type beheading, but in general Middle-Eastern beheadings are done by SLOWLY sawing the subjects head off…while they are conscious.
So your so-called “FACT” is just something you made up in your head to suit an ill-informed, knee-jerk OPINION.
Beheading is barbaric…period…placing someone who has no training in child-care in charge of a 4-month old is irresponsible. Sentencing such a person to death under these circumstances is clearly scape-goating. Most civilized people would consider the parents co-negligent at the very least.

Of course it’s all about money. The USA rampages throughout the world trumpeting about democracy and justice, while at the same time propping up some of the worst murderous fascist despots ever seen on the planet. Saudi Arabia is ruled by a gang of murderous Muslim thugs who think nothing of committing the most barbarous atrocities on their population, such as beheading, mutilation such as cutting off hands and feet, removing eyes and other acts that certainly do not belong in any civilised society. The USA lambasts nations such as Iran and Burma about human rights and their regimes, yet there’s scarcely a peep out of the Americans about the despicable regime of Saudi Arabia and its litany of human rights abuses and atrocities. Why? Simply because back in 1971, the USA made a deal with the Saudi despots that if they only accepted the otherwise worthless US dollar, mere monopoly money without something to back it with, the USA would ensure that the Saudi royal family would be protected and remain in power, notwithstanding any abuses of human rights. This is why Iraq was invaded, because Saddam Hussein started selling oil for Euro and not the USA dollar. This is why the CIA tried to depose and then assassinate Hugo Chavez twice, because Venezuela started to sell its oil for Euro, not the US dollar. This is why Iran is being bullied with false accusations about nuclear weapons and will probably be illegally attacked, because it is now selling its oil for currencies other than the US dollar. It’s all about propping up the US dollar, which is only backed by the fact that other nations need it at the moment to buy oil. Once the major oil producers start trading in Euro and other currencies in preference to the US dollar, then the economy of the USA will collapse, because the dollar does not have any other intrinsic value such as gold. There is no more Fort Knox, just printing presses producing Monopoly money that the world is increasingly reluctant to accept. It’s the start of the Fall Of The US Empire. But that is the underlying reason why Saudi Arabia is getting away with its barbarism and why the USA is propping up a bunch of murderous thugs that call themselves the Saudi Royal Family. And this is why a teenage Sri Lankan girl will die and many more will die as long as they go to Saudi Arabia.

Okay, for those who frequently “bashed” Islam here, its just pure ignorance. Islam has nothing to do with the action of the Saudi Gov or terrorism for that matter. According to history, its the Western world that helped to create the Wahabbi-Nation State of Saudi Arabia. FYI, Wahabbi sect is largely denied by majority of Muslims around the world. Thanks to Britain for their collaboration with Ibnu Saud & his Wahabbi followers 80 years ago.

I really LOVE how all things wrong in the world can be blamed on the U.S. by Left Wing Self Hating MORONS. I really think you should try a new country…I am sure we can find people from other countries ready to fill your slot and actually LOVE and DEFEND America.

What the hell has this story got to do with America? Surely you should be criticizing the barbaric arabs, the family that sent a young girl to such an unforgiving country on her own or even if if there is anything to go from the “murder charge” the girl herself.
I’m not american myself but why does every other country think they can blame all of the earths ills on them. its simply not true. If anything they do a lot more work to help those less forunate and in times of distress than any eastern countries that seem to hate others for the sake of hating or because its there religion to hate..

Those of you who are making your comments without seeing proof. Did you think of the crime this woman committed against a helpless child. What about the pain this child;s parents will go through until the end of their lives? She will go through less pain comparably but the world will be saved of such crimes when the precedent is stopped. Look at the American crime rate. It is one of the highest because there is no punishment for wrongdoers. Stop nagging and do what is right: stop the evil doers.

Slavery is alive and well in Saudi Arabia, and you people bitch about AMERICA?
God have mercy on your miserable myopic twisted souls.

A true liberal is someone who wishes to advance human civilisation by keeping an open mind and seeking to understand the point of view of those who are often ignored by the majority. This is done by allowing complete freedom of thought and by not impeding the flow and exchange of ideas.
Liberalism, as well as conservatism, is needed for healthy growth of a culture. Liberalism advances, and conservatism checks those advances in the name of morality and common sense.
I am disturbed that the word “liberal” has been demonized so thoroughly that even truely liberal leaders are afraid to use it to self describe. I am a liberal. I’m proud to say it. Now stop trashing my political beliefs. Pretty please.

It’s just like people to be the armchair quarterbacks.Everyone has an answer.
We have thousands of admitted child molesters,and killers in this country that are freed by our judges to do the same crime again and again.
The judges are not held responsible either.
Where is the justice? No Where.
Go ahead -blame this on Bush or the parents or the girl- it just shows what a screwed up world we’re living in.

Kudos to ABC for reporting something worthwhile, instead of all trash, all the time. Keep it up, and maybe one could even stand to tune in ABC news some day.

Hey guys,
Belive me it’s not correct! The story is totaty fake. I’m from Saudi Arabia, iliving in the U.S., We don’t have this kind of injustic. Belive me it’s a fake. I did my reserach and found the case total incorrect.
Please we are 28, 000 students here. Respect us! don’t hate us!

I’d like to understand one thing. Everyone is jumping on the self-proclaimed “innocent girl” bandwagon just for the simple fact that this case happened in Saudi Arabia. For any story, there are two sides that needs to be examined carefully. As far as I know, there are certain obligations and simple duties that baby sitters need to know, if the Sri Lankan girl ignored them or didnt take care of the poor baby, its her freaking fault and she should be held accountable. No one is showing any sympathy to the poor baby or her family just simply because they are “SAUDIS”. How many people die everywhere in America because of bad health insurance, I dont see people blaming your government. HOw many thousands of children die montly in Iraq just for the simple fact that your Cowboy “Bush” did not want Saddam to be in Iraq. How many people die in Somalia & Afghanistan just because they are not agreeing your country’s policies. It’s all about the OIL. No one gives a damn about anything outside of Uncle Sam’s land because of their ignorance, then ya’ll wonder why the US is hated across the globe. Stop being double standard and treat people fairly to be respected by others.So, keep your accusations to yourself and ipen your eyes and start looking for news from other outlets besides CNN, FOX, ABC. The “Earth” has other places beside Texas & Alabama

Hmmm… Before we comment on Saudi Legal System, it should be known that US executed 9 juvenile persons in last 15 years. And yeah all of them while Billy Boy was in town. In the same time frame Saudis beheaded 3 to 4 juvenile persons (Note: The figure may be much more.)
US is the only country in the world where a juvenile can be tried as an “Adult” for crimes commited before the age of 18. After Supreme Court decision, even though they cannot be sentenced to death, they could be still sentenced to harsh punishments like Life without Parole.
I am wondering, would we be still having this discussion if, to say, Lee Boyd Malvo aka Washington Sniper was sentenced to death.
In all we should be either supporting or opposing death penalty irrespective of person’s gender, age or crime.

I live in the Middle East. I have many wonderful Saudi friends, BUT….
Understand while there is clear teaching for mercy in Islam there is no clear teaching of forgiveness. Without clear teaching of forgiveness why would the poor family who has lost a child bother forgiving. In Islam this family has a RIGHT to call for girl’s death. As the girl is Muslim, why would we bother for her to be judged by any other than Islamic Law.
Understand, slave markets in Saudi Arabia closed officially in 1962. This means when Martin Luther King was pushing for Civil Rights for African Americans, you could still buy another human being in KSA. While there is no official slave market today, all foreigners are slaves to the Saudi society in one way or another. There are just different classes of slaves. When is the last time you heard of human rights for slaves?
Understand that Saudis are rarely culpable. Blame anybody but me is the prevailing thought. It is a rare day when any of my friends accept personal responsibility for anything they’ve done. Usually God gets the blame if things don’t go well.
Sad to say, money talks and everybody else walks. Worst of all in the U.S. Don’t think for a minute that the Saudis have not “bought” some of our elected officials. Best to check where your representatives stand.

I worked in the Kingdom thirty years ago and was impessed by the legality of the personal employment contracts. It was very specific about payments for 15 levels of employees, personal benefits, vacations, workers protections, etc. Has all of this changed. The previous laws were very supportive of workers rights. At the personal level, the Saudi police were only concerned with the level of a woman’s skirt, or the covering of her hair. It was the “Company Goons” of the out of foreign contractors who hired the employees who were the tyrants. The Saudis did have different views than we on a number of issues, for example, the driver of a car in a crash would stay in jail until all of the victims were out of hospital, or that civil liabilities were valued in the number of camels needed for fair relief. In particular, “Blood Money” paid by the assailant to the family of a dead victim would clear the assailant of criminal liability. RDH

I would like to see the judge ask the family WHY, if they loved the kid so much, they didn’t train this young woman before being left alone with the kid? And yes, m. derracote, I am aware there is a great big hypocrisy in our coming to the aid of this girl when we have our wars on in Iraq and Afghanistan and are killing thousands upon thousands of civilians, but please don’t think we don’t hate the irony too. At least half the country wants it to end, and many of us want the US to stop being imperialists/colonialists/exceptionalists – we ask and ask why do you think things always end so badly and the people turn on you? Of course they do! You reap what you sow. Many of us are working to stop it, but they are powerful, and we just had our senate/congress sell the bill of rights from under us, so it’s a long, uphill battle. But yes, we are very aware of the irony. Sentimental, but not very mental, wouldn’t you put it this way?

Guys, a lot of ignorant statements here. Does anyone here follow what the Saudi’s are doing to terrorists over there? Let me tell you it isn’t very pleasant, they don’t have ‘No torture’ rules. As a result of this, it has made the Royal Family at odd’s with many of the muslim’s in that area.
As far as us selling them high-tech weapons, go buy some stock in the Lockeed, General Dynamics, or one of the other weapon builders, and see if you complain.

I will pray for this young girl who has her whole life ahead of her to live. I will ask the God of Isaac, Abraham, and Jacob that someone there, in power, will come to the reality that this whole thing is redicoulous. God knows all are equal. It is for humans to understand.

I noticed one person commented about how disgusted she was about those espousing the U.S. complicity in human rights violations, saying that we should be glad there is no slavery in America. maybe you should read the article on the ABCnews site about the girl in California who has been a slave since the age of 9. slavery IS alive and well in America today – it’s just hidden. as for the girl to be executed, that is absolutely uncalled-for; for one, the girl had no experience, and also, she had no representation in court because of her foreign status. finally, there is no evidence that she even CAUSED this child’s death. maybe some of these bloggers should try walking in her shoes, trying to make a way of life after her homeland was devastated by the 2004 tsunami (remember, guys?) – and then landing in the worst place a woman could ever hope NOT to work. I pray for Nafeek and her family that she will be exonerated.

and to think that this is our allie
our allie is killing poor little girls
and we’re giving up american lives and arming them just for them to kill and hurt…why are we sending troops to protect? why cant we just protect our own nation??

What gives you the idea that Saudi Arabia would have the lowest crime rate in the world? What from statistics they might publish?
Yea, right, I’m going to beleive what they have to say, when the behead teenage baby sitters, who had an infant die by accidental choking while drinking its bottle!
How can you prove some poor, young, servant girl could have done that purposely? You can’t!
I think this case should be enough to discourage any person or foreign worker from aiding a Saudi citizen where it might involve any liability.
Everyone, especially foreign workers should absolutely refuse to get involved in the care of any Saudi citizen for fear of being beheaded because someone died on your watch, and they then call you a murderer.
I’m all for capital punishment for the worst of criminals. Those who commit wanton, and sadistic, evil crimes, serial killers, serial pedofiles, and premeditated murderers, but the problem with Sharia Law, Islam, and Saudi Arabia is that there is no due process.
The whole execution system seems to dwell on making examples out of people who shouldn’t even be sentenced to death like the teenage baby sitter.

Typical Saudi Law; Saudi men can rape foreign woman at will and get away with it yet foreign men are not allowed to date Saudi woman who face public stoning or worse if caught.
As far as i’m concearned Saudi Arabia can choke on their oil.