Sunday, July 20, 2008

Why Did He Shoot Himself?

The shooting in Amman where six people were injured in a musical was a crime of despair. The shooter was an 18-year old, resident of Al Baq'a refugee camp. There are not a lot of details about this guy yet, but apparently he comes from a poor family and I would be really surprised if he ever left Jordan. In that case he wouldn't have received training in some Al-Qaeda camp or had connections with any terrorist organization. And he's 18. A boy, not that people this age can't be criminals but this was probably a crime he planned for himself.

To me it sounded like this guy wanted to commit suicide, but killing yourself is generally a shameful act in our country, and it's really bad to die in shame. How many proverbs and poems are out there in our culture with emphasis that death is not awful and is even encouraged if you die in dignity. People want to be looked upon as a heroes when they die. This teenager is not looked upon now as a hero, but he wouldn't have realized that. He's 18! Dying with dignity is too complex of a concept for him to understand. But there are factors for it: there's the Jordan Festival that some people made it look like an Israeli festival attended by zionists, they're playing music which is considered evil where the audience engage themselves in sin, add to that poverty and ignorance and guns and you've got an 18-year old shooting at people. What's interesting is that islamically the way he killed himself which is pure suicide-just shooting yourself with a gun, grants him an automatic one-way ticket to hell (correct me if I'm wrong).

Well, maybe he realzied that too but just didn't care.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow! I read it first here.. These young kids are being brainwashed by the wrong people I swear.. they'd probably label it under "Jehad" now!

Anonymous said...

the problem is, those brainwashed missguided idiots support the stereotype allready all over the world have!!

ka2eno na2seen !

Hani Obaid said...

I'm sorry but I don't think 18 is too young to know right from wrong. This reminds me of some idiots who were actually happy when the Amman hotels were bombed. I actually know people who said these people deserved it for going to a mixed wedding. What can I say, I see them as animals.

Mohanned said...

I read on a websiet-maybe ammannet-that he had three siblings die to due to cancer. But my guess is: we will never know the truth.

Anonymous said...

It was all made up to hype up the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto-سقف السيل

But, really, from baqa'a, and we all know the living conditions of that place, this guy gave up on life when people would have the money and time to enjoy music under the dark sky, when he could barely afford bread.

Mohanned said...

http://ammannet.net/look/article.tpl?IdLanguage=18&IdPublication=3&NrArticle=19966&NrIssue=5&NrSection=1

Anonymous said...

"He shot himself in the neck while he was running from the police"

He was an idiot who had absolutely no clue on how to handle a gun, kept his finger on the trigger, and while he was running away from bobbies shot himself in the neck. Hi mum probably told him about not running with scissors, but no one said anything about running with a gun!

Zaid

Anonymous said...

Agree with you 100%, depression is creeping into every household in Jordan.

I really recommend you Hareega to leave ID and head towards psychiatry. I believe that you will make alot of money in the field within the coming years :-) hehehe ..

Besides, they should start thinking to distribute antidepressant medications along with condoms -(as you mentioned in one of your previous posts)-.

Ali Dahmash said...

Interesting analysis, but maybe the 18 year old is suffering from poor living conditions, rising life expenses, a drop out from school, sees no future, no hope and relaized that his givernment is not doing anything to provide him with a decent life, or even a work permit in case he was a Palestinian refugee or lost hope in the right of return! hmm sounds big right?

NasEr said...

If you've been around Baq'a enough you'll notice that people there are generally angry ,
1) angry at God
2) angry at Jordan (government)
3) angry Israel
4) angry at the UN
5) angry at themselves because they "live" miserably .
6) add to all that the amount if ignorance that comes naturally with poverty ,extreme Islamic teaching that finds a good habitat in such places (its either that or drug use and alcohol) and there you have it, i can understand why the guy did what he did. he was fed up.

Hareega said...

chika... I'm afriad there's a lot of wrong people out there

sharifo.. yep as i told chika there's a lot of them

Hani Obaid, I think people try to justify their hatred towards others in the community by religious reasons. They also justify stealing and cheating and killing by saying that religion allows them to doi whatever they're doing. About the age 18 thing, there are people who are 50 who still can't know right from wrong.

Mohannad... you don't seem to trust the Mokhabarat, don't worry man they can have a long investigations with him even after he's dead

maf3oos, that's very true but I'm sure that most people living there are now willing to carry a gun and shoot at perfect strangers. However they probably hate anyone who seems to be enjoying his life more than anytime before and they're not totally to blame for that.

Hareega said...

Zaid... is that really what happened or you're just imagining it? I won't surprised if it was true.

sophia, I'll stick with ID for now, at least you can cure people!
I'll leave the condoms for the government to distribute

Ali, a lot of people whether Palestinian or not are going through what that teenage boy was going through, they even had it worse for a longer time (I mean they suffered for 50/60 years that guy is only 18, lessa ma shaaf eshi) but they cope with their misery in a different way. They either move to religion, politics, or both, or work a lot to stay alive, but they rarely grab a gun and shoot at people.

Naser... I understand why did that biy did what he did, there's a good reason for it although it should never be a justification.

Anonymous said...

Mmmm! There's certainly allot of anger in the air we breath in Amman recently... but for the anger to reach a level to blind people that's scary if true!! the sad thing is that i dont think it can be compared with people who lived 50 or 60 years in dispair.. there was always an alternative positive thing that poeple older than us would rely on having as a positive thing around sth they took forgranted as there... whether its family ties.. spirit of the city.. faith in the government/ leader... etc.. or even faith in God.. or affordability of food which we lack now..
I hope life doesnt get that dark for anyone.. it certainly was pretty dark for him to do this, its really not about if its justifiable or not.. I can't put myslef in his shoes now... Allah eysama7o...
i must say the suggestion "they should start thinking to distribute antidepressant medications along with condoms " made me laugh.. and it's certainly needed in a way.. Or free hugs or sth!! LOL! i'd hold that sign of free hugs IF and only IF i don't know the citizens well enough!! LOL
I think a man should do this campagin in jordan! LOL at this thought as well!

Hareega said...

mapless, a free-hugs campaign in Jordan will result in 2000 divorces and 15 honor killings, but I get your point.

Hani Obaid said...

Now look what you've done, first I burst out laughing, then the voice inside my head said:
Shutup Hani honor killings aren't funny. I should have that looked at!

Anonymous said...

Hareega... I know.. it can work in Italy though! LOOL! I'm just trying hard to think of solutions la Naks el7anan bel balad! LOOL! O YA rait twa2ef 3ala 2000 divorces and 15 honor killings!! that's an underestimate!

Sharkooseh said...

:S i wanted to go!
thx god i didnt :S

Anonymous said...

Yes, Faris, this is exactly what happened. It was reported in Al Ghad newspaper as one eye witness who was on the scene gave that statement. Media and gossip tend to blow anthills to mountains, there's no surprise there... Think about it this way, if you wanna commit suicide, why would you shoot yourself in the neck? Proof of that is the guy is still alive but in a very bad condition. Hold a (toy, PLEASE!) gun in your hand, start running, notice how the muzzle will at one stage, while running, will point at your neck. Add to that some angry screams from ppl behing you, in3ajaget, BAM... Simple...

Zaid.

Mohanned said...

http://www.themedialine.org/news/news_detail.asp?NewsID=22163

I thought you might find that interesting.

Anonymous said...

the most plausible explanation i read is that this guy thought the event was part of the Jordan Festival.

Anonymous said...

nice analysis hareega....

okay lets view it from the conspiracy theory approch (u know this could happen to you if u become addicted to prison break!!)

lsn to this analysis:

this guy is with criminal record right? someone form ..... paid him to do this or else!!!!..u know ..and the same someone shot him in the head after he did what he did...the same someone was annoyed of the salafee movement increazed supporter numbers these days (with my personal underlining and questioning for their objectives asasan)..so those someone now has a very nice reason to arrest people and have a nice long fun chat with them..

its just another angle of the story what do u think?

Hareega said...

Zaid, thanks for the expalanation, yes ot does make sense.

mohannad you always have interesting links!!

Issam, it's one of the explanations out there!

sharkoosheh .. Alla staarek!

anonymous, the policement can usually tell from the entry and exit wound of the bullet if it was self-inflicted or if someone was shot by someone else form a distance, it's really difficult to believe in your conspiracy theory !

Hareega said...

sharkooshe watch out!

markius... thanks for your input, I know many of those bills were sold and the FBI confirmed they were the same bills handled to Cooper earlier. The picture I posted was juts one i found on google!