Chopping off heads in the name of God

[dirtydog]

Chopping off heads in the name of God
The import of multicultural enrichment includes, of course, the Sharia: It will only be a matter of time when the Sharia rules and the first liberal women's libber will be publicly beheaded (i.e. for Adultery), as it happens in Saudi Arabia!

Saudi Arabia's state executioner Muhammad Saad al-Beshi

The Guardian (G2), Friday, June 6, 2003, page 4
Portrait
The work of God
Decent pay, flexible hours, good benefits package - but being Saudi Arabia's state executioner does have its down side, as Muhammad Saad al-Beshi tells Mahmoud Ahmad
Muhammad Saad al-Beshi beheads up to seven people a day. "It doesn't matter to me: Two, four, 10 - as long as I'm doing God's will, it doesn't matter how many people I execute," says Saudi Arabia's leading executioner. Al-Beshi began his career at a prison in Taif, where his job was to handcuff and blindfold the prisoners before their execution. "Because of this background, I developed a desire to be an executioner," he says. When a position became vacant, he applied and was accepted immediately.
His first job was in 1998 in Jeddah. "The criminal was tied and blindfolded. With one stroke of the sword I severed his head. It rolled metres away." Of course he was nervous, he says - there were a lot of people watching, after all - but now stage fright is a thing of the past. He says he is calm at work because he is doing God's work. "But there are many people who faint when they witness an execution. I don't know why they come and watch if they don't have the stomach for it. Me? I sleep very well."
Does he think people are afraid of him? "In this country we have a society that understands God's law," he says. "No one is afraid of me. I have a lot of relatives, and many friends at the mosque, and I live a normal life like everyone else. There are no drawbacks for my social life."
Before an execution, none the less, he will visit the family of the victim of the criminal to obtain forgiveness for the man about to die. "I always have that hope, until the very last minute, and I pray to God to give the criminal a new lease of life. I always keep that hope alive."
Al-Beshi will not reveal how much he gets paid per execution, as this is a confidential agreement with the government. But he insists that the reward is not important. "I am very proud to do God's work," he says.
However, he does reveal that a sword costs something in the region of 20,000 Saudi riyals (£3,300). "It's a gift from the government. I look after it and sharpen it once in a while, and I make sure to clean it of bloodstains. It's very sharp. People are amazed how fast it can separate the head from the body."
By the time the victims reach the execution square, they have surrendered themselves to death, he says, though they may hope to be forgiven at the last minute. Indeed, the only conversation that takes place is when he tells the prisoner to say the Shahada, their covenant with Allah. "Their hearts and minds are taken up with reciting the Shahada. When they get to the execution square, their strength drains away. Then I read the execution order, and at a signal I cut the prisoner's head off."

Public execution in Saudi Arabia. Al-Beshi executes women without hesitation for "it is God's work".

He has executed a number of women without hesitation. "Despite the fact that I hate violence against women, when it comes to God's will, I have to carry it out."
There is no great difference between the execution of men and women, except that the women wear hijab, and no one is allowed near them except Al-Beshi when the time for execution comes. When executing women, he has a choice of weapon. "It depends what they ask me to use. Sometimes they ask me to use a sword and sometimes a gun. But most of the time I use the sword," he says.
As an experienced executioner, 42-year-old Al-Beshi is entrusted with the task of training the young. "I successfully trained my son Musaed, 22, as an executioner and he was approved and chosen," he says proudly. Training focuses on the way to hold the sword and where to hit, and consists mostly of the trainee observing the executioner at work.
But an executioner's work is not all killing; sometimes it can simply be an amputation. "I use a special sharp knife instead of a sword," he explains. "When I cut off a hand, I cut it from the joint. If it is a leg, the authorities specify where it is to be taken off, so I follow that."
Al-Beshi describes himself as a family man. He was married when he became an executioner, and his wife did not object to his choice of profession. "She only asked me to think carefully before committing myself," he recalls. "But I don't think she's afraid of me. I deal with my family with kindness and love. They aren't afraid when I come back from an execution. Sometimes they help me clean my sword."
A father of seven, he is a grandfather already. "My daughter has a son called Haza, and he's my pride and joy," he says. "Then there are my sons. The oldest one is Saad, and of course there is Musaed, who will be the next executioner."

LINKY

[DrB0b]

Anybody know the names and personal details of any of the West's state executioners? Can't say I recall seeing a similar story on any of the hangmen, gunmen, gas-chamber operatives, lethal-injectors or electric-chair engineers more civilized countries employ.

[blackgang]

What do you mean by WEST? and what do you want to know.

In the USA they do not have that kind of execution and an actual hands on experience.
There are groups of people at different penitentiary that are trained in the placing of the needles and the prepping of prisoners for execution but no one person does it all, either for lethal injection or electric or firing squad and maybe still gas in some, different states use different means and procedures.
You can goggle it and pobly get the answers you are looking for, but as far as I know not since the early days of hanging has one person been the EXECUTIONER..

I think that Greece still uses firing squad as did Utah and I think the US Govt armed services still use hanging.

[Boon Mee]

^
Yeah, and let's start with Jane Fonda for sedition.
Not to mention aiding and abetting the enemy...

[DrB0b]

What do you mean by WEST? and what do you want to know.

In the USA they do not have that kind of execution and an actual hands on experience.
There are groups of people at different penitentiary that are trained in the placing of the needles and the prepping of prisoners for execution but no one person does it all, either for lethal injection or electric or firing squad and maybe still gas in some, different states use different means and procedures.
You can goggle it and pobly get the answers you are looking for, but as far as I know not since the early days of hanging has one person been the EXECUTIONER..

I think that Greece still uses firing squad as did Utah and I think the US Govt armed services still use hanging.

West: The nations of North America and Europe with developed capitalist economies, especially in contrast to less-developed nations.

What I wanted to know was what I asked, are there similar stories about still-working executioners in the developed capitalist economies commonly and colloquially known as the West? You gave an interesting answer with some information I didn't know, thank you.

[ChiangMai noon]

I think that Greece still uses firing squad as did Utah and I think the US Govt armed services still use hanging.

Greece is an enlightened member of the EU.
They do not kill possible criminals there any more like they continue to do regularly in most parts of the third world an the US

[blackgang]

Then I guess that they will wise up one of these days and go back to the old ways, far better I would think.
Seems that most people from the EU are just that , From the EU.

[Boon Mee]

^
Well, when Turkey joins the EU (you can't keep 'em out, boys) you can be sure they will stick to their old ways.

[ChiangMai noon]

Well, when Turkey joins the EU

They haven't executed anyone since about 1984.
The even let Ocalan live.

Even the evil Turk isn't as blind as The US.

[Boon Mee]

^
Well, we gotta saying in Texas.
You come into our state and kill someone, we'll kill you right back!

[keda]

^
Well, when Turkey joins the EU (you can't keep 'em out, boys) you can be sure they will stick to their old ways.

Wouldn't surprise me if the EU are in a muddle right now, desperately looking for plausible obstacles to place in the path of Turkey and membership, with an increasing number of governments recoiling as they wise up to the realities it would bring with it.

And yes, I do believe they'll squeeze out every moment they possibly can, much like the pre-execution cigarette.

[Butterfly]

You come into our state and kill someone, we'll kill you right back!

I think the Iraqis have the same saying

[Butterfly]

Wouldn't surprise me if the EU are in a muddle right now, desperately looking for plausible obstacles to place in the path of Turkey and membership, with an increasing number of governments recoiling as they wise up to the realities it would bring with it.

Turkey is not going to make it now, for sure. Thanks in part to GW Bush, oddly.

[blackgang]

Damn straight BM, and they mean it too..

[Boon Mee]

You come into our state and kill someone, we'll kill you right back!

I think the Iraqis have the same saying

Yeah, but what's the body count?

[HermantheGerman]

I wonder why they needed a crane to do this?

[sabang]

America is an interesting Democracy.
For example, it has more people in jail than every other country in the World, including China. Percentage wise, it eclipses the rest of the world.
It executes more people every year too than every other country, including China. China has 4x the population.
Freedom and Democracy. Must be worth fighting for.

[lom]

Freedom and Democracy. Must be worth fighting for.

Eventually they will get them.

[ChiangMai noon]

It executes more people every year too than every other country, including China.

I don't think that's true Sabang.
I'm fairly sure China is even more backward than the States.

[ChiangMai noon]

America are in excellent company on this one.

"According to Amnesty International, during 2005 at least 2,148 people were executed in 22 countries, 94% in China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United States alone"

[sabang]

Shucks, I may have got my facts wrong.
I used the word 'executed'. I should have said killed.
But the jail population of the USA is really quite amazing.

[attaboy]

In 2006, 53 persons in 14 States were executed -- 24 in Texas; 5 in Ohio; 4 each in Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Virginia; and 1 each in Indiana, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, California, Montana, and Nevada.

Of persons executed in 2006:
-- 32 were white
-- 21 were black

All 53 inmates executed in 2006 were men.

Lethal injection accounted for 52 of the executions and electrocution for one.

Thirty-eight States and the Federal government in 2005 had capital statutes.



How did we get lumped in with those countries at the top?

(I'm against capital pinishment)

[sabang]

That would be because you are near the top Atta.
I think the scurrilous rumourmongers tainted the figures I was referring to before in my ill quipt figures, because they included extra judicial places that you are occupying.

[Dougal]

Anybody know the names and personal details of any of the West's state executioners?

Albert Pierrepoint was the last state executioner in England. There is a bit about him here on Wikipedia.

Albert Pierrepoint - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[blackgang]

One reason that China is running short of first place is they do not execute unless there is a real reason,, like someone fits the reciepent profile because they always junk a prisoner out once he is done in, and they only kill to fill the spare parts orders.
If it is an order for an arm or leg they can do that without execution and he can be saved kinda like a parts warehouse.