The Religious Policeman

Two pieces of good news in the ongoing terrorist saga.

The first is that we've arrested 8 suspects.

Kingdom Arrests Eight Terror Suspects

penned by the illustrious Raid Qusti, whose memorable "Al-Qaeda Plot Foiled" news item on 8th May 2003 was followed 4 days later by major explosions in 3 housing compounds.

RIYADH, 19 April 2004 — Eight terror suspects linked to violent clashes with security forces in the capital over the past week have been arrested, an Interior Ministry statement said yesterday.

“Security personnel were able to track down those who took part in the recent heinous acts and who are followers of a devious ideology, and located their hideouts and smoked them out of their holes,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the statement as saying.

The ministry did not say when or where the suspects were arrested, adding, “In the interest of the ongoing investigation, it is necessary not to mention the identities” of those arrested “or the roles they played.”

So no details of who, when or where. Why not? In these cases we usually get mugshots plastered all over the papers, and quotes from families saying "they used to be good boys, always kind to their Mother, then they got religious and went off to Afghanistan" or some such nonsense. Call me a cynic, or has this come from the Ministry of Truth's "Good News, not necessarilly 100% correct, maybe even fabricated, but it's good for morale" Department?

Meanwhile, the second piece of news concerns those terrorists who, two days ago, "had managed to flee into “deeper grounds”, up north-west of Riyadh.

SECURITY FORCES RING AL-HAYSEYAH TERRORISTS

SECURITY forces were continuing their search late Sunday for five terrorists believed to be in the rural area of Al-Uyaynah some 25 km north of Riyadh.

Using thermal cameras, helicopters, armored vehicles and security teams on foot, the search operation is focused in the areas surrounding Al-Hayseyah, Al-Mafagee and Al-Ghuroor mountain passes.

The areas were completely ringed and the security forces were closing in from all directions at the time of going to press.

Two days ago, we had them surrounded. But now, they are completely surrounded.

We're going to surround them until they wish their mothers had never given birth.

They're going to be so surrounded, they won't be able to breathe.

Nobody kicks the butts of the Mujahideen "Holy Warriors" arm of the security forces and gets away with it; they get surrounded big-time.

We're your worst nightmare, we're going to surround you.

We're gonna surround you to death, m*therf*ckers!