Riyadh/Jeddah, May 3(Arab News): A cross section of expatriates working in Saudi Arabia have expressed their sense of relief over the American mission that killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan on Monday. They were unanimous in their condemnation of terrorist activities of any kind, and were hopeful that with the killing of the mastermind there would be some letup in senseless killings.
Mohammed Ali, Sri Lankan expatriate in the Kingdom said: “We woke up to a good news on Monday morning of the killing of Bin Laden. It has put an end to terror and his nefarious activities.”
Dwight Fullingim, an American working in the capital, told Arab News that he has mixed feelings of happiness and sympathy for Bin Laden. “I am glad that he is down and there is no more terror under his leadership. On the other hand, I feel sorry for this boy who hailed from a good family and religion but brought discredit to both his family and religion. It’s a tragedy.”
Tariq Soomro, a prominent Pakistani businessman in the Kingdom said that all bad things have come to an end with Bin Laden’s death. “He brought shame to our religion. My country suffered a lot from the intrusion of foreign soldiers who were after his blood,” Soomro said, adding that there will be peace in Pakistan and hoped that the foreign troops who came to kill him would wrap up their tour to Pakistan and people could live peacefully.
“The news of Osama Bin Laden’s death came to me early morning today as a bit of surprise and disbelief,” Faiz Al-Najdi, a Pakistani engineer in Riyadh said.
“In my personal opinion, Bin Laden was an evil-minded person who, through his ill-advised terrorist acts, brought shame and dishonor to Muslims. He tarnished the image of our great religion Islam which teaches peace and coexistence.
“He and his associates, through their terrorist acts, did not serve any purpose except that they provided the golden opportunity to everybody to unjustly target Muslims, Islam and our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),” Al-Najdi said.
“Muslims in general are peace-loving and Islam is a peaceful religion. However, only because of him and his associates, the Muslims of all nationalities suffered in many ways, including suspicion, mistrust and even humiliation, in the Western countries especially in the United States. The Muslim students, travelers and even the Muslim nationals suffered in these Western countries because of his actions.”
“I hope and pray, with Osama Bin Laden is now gone, the honor, and trust of the Muslims, throughout the world, would be restored and the glory of our peaceful religion Islam would also be redeemed, amen!” Al-Najdi added.
Hossain Islam, a Bangladeshi business executive, said: “Let’s hope that the war against terror begins with this and leads to its final end.”
Abdullah Mohamed Paisal, a Filipino hospital technician in Jeddah, considers Bin Laden’s demise as “an end of an era of terrorism.”
Amir Mohammed Khan of the Pakistan Journalists Forum said, “If he (Bin Laden) was involved in terrorism, then it’s big news. After this, the terrorist network should also be dismantled and the American policy toward Middle East issues also must change.”
“If he was a terrorist, he should go the way he went,” said a lecturer at King Abdulziz University who did not want to be named. “With this, we hope for a world free of terrorism.”
“Now, without Osama, his terrorist network should also find its logical end,” Muhammad Ali, an Indian hospital radiologist, said.