A Father’s Grief

There is nothing sadder than seeing a parent lose his child, a creature of his own flesh and blood. But to see a parent lose two children who are both on the Kingdom’s list of most wanted terrorists is indeed a tragedy. This is the case with Abdul Rahman Al-Suwailmi, a 57-year-old man living in Riyadh’s Al-Naseem district. His story is one of loss, hope and faith.

Abdul Rahman is the father of two sons and a daughter. His son, Ahmad, was on the Kingdom’s most wanted terrorist list before being killed last month by security forces in Dammam. His other son, Muhammad, also on the most wanted list, remains at large. Abdul Rahman’s sad voice tells many tales. Both of his sons, he says, were ordinary young men — they went to college and spent their time as many other young Saudi men do: Camping in the desert, playing football and watching TV.

Muhammad, who is 23, disappeared last year. His father looked everywhere for him, even asking in hospitals and police stations. He failed to locate him and several months later, he learned that Muhammad was on the Interior Ministry’s most wanted list. His other son, Ahmed, aged 20, also disappeared last year a month after Muhammad did. When he left, he told his father he was going to Makkah for Umrah to thank God because he had completed his final university semester.

“Originally, I did not want him to go but I could not stop him from performing Umrah. He asked for gas money so he could drive there and also money for accommodation. A week later, I got an anonymous SMS text message saying that my son sent greetings and that he had gone to fight in Iraq. Later I learned he was on the government’s most wanted list,” Abdul Rahman explained.

Though both his sons are on the most wanted list, Abdul Rahman refuses to call them terrorists. “I do not agree that they should be branded ‘terrorists.’ They were brainwashed. They are victims of the ideology of takfeer (accusing Muslims of being non-Muslims).” He said the ideology which his sons apparently accepted is something alien to Saudi culture and the Saudi people. “Those who brainwashed my sons are targeting young people. They take advantage of their energy, enthusiasm and religious beliefs. The brainwashers convince them that what they are doing — or what they are going to do — will bring them closer to God and will earn His reward.”

In a written statement given to Arab News, Abdul Rahman urges his son to surrender. “We are asking him to surrender. He knows that obedience to God in Islam is obedience to parents. If Muhammad really cares for his mother and me, I ask him to look at our lives since he left. I want him to turn himself in — for his own sake, for our sake and for the country’s sake.”

ArabNews