Ahmad Al-Zahrani

Okaz newspaper

The last words uttered by the Saudi youth Mazin Masawee, who was hanged to death by the Iraqi authorities late last month, were reportedly as follows: “The one who approved the death sentence is responsible for killing me. I’m innocent. I’m innocent.”



He shouted these words loudly at the jailers who led him to the gallows rope blindfolded, handcuffed and with his legs tied.

He was wearing a red uniform.



The report also said that Masawee was detained on Aug. 4, 2010, and charged with joining a terrorist group that blew up a police station in Baghdad.

The youths faced a summary trial.



This painful report touched every Saudi, who felt sorrow, concern and sympathy.



This is a Saudi youth, meaning he is from our country, and there are many others who have had big judicial verdicts issued against them, ranging from life imprisonment to death.



Before criticizing those who approved these verdicts and holding them responsible, we must get satisfactory answers to various questions created by these fast-developing events. They can be likened to a minefield in the imagination of every impartial person seeking the truth.



Who is backing the sheikh whose pictures, seminars and even tweets have filled the media and different social networking sites?



This sheikh and his likes have spared no effort, not even for a single moment, in urging and pushing our youth to carry out jihad even in those countries that are rife with ethnic and sectarian conflicts. One tends to ask, who was it that neglected monitoring our youth and who gave them the opportunity to be soaked in this misleading ideology to the extent of sacrificing their wealth and lives?



Who helped our youths to enter such countries that are continuously suffering from grave and deteriorating security situation? Usually the state warns its citizens and prevents them from traveling to such regions of turmoil.



What happened to these young Saudis there in the country of the Tigris and the Euphrates? What changed their view and convictions to this extent?

If there was something that really deserved jihad and they went to achieve it with sincere determination and intent to become martyrs, then why did they resort to appealing to their families, government, the National Society for Human Rights and Amnesty International?



They made a collective appeal for speedy intervention to stop the executions.



Why this fear of death? If they were really mujahideen, they would have got used to meeting death a thousand times while carrying their Kalashnikovs, RPGs and hand grenades.



If they were really mujahideen, we could assume they would have heard eternal stories of martyrs who were buried a long time ago, but the odor of musk kept emitting from their graves. These are what they are supposed to have come across or experienced if they were really mujahideen.



They are still keen to achieve the miracles of becoming martyrs (shaheed), including being forgiven of their sins, pardoned from torment in the grave and marrying the houris in paradise.



Actually, these youths have fallen victim to the edicts (fatwas) of sheikhs, who do not belong to official bodies authorized to issue edicts. They are living amongst us and always give the appearance of courage and bravery. They boast and seek status in society.



These false sheikhs are the ones who have led our youths to the regions of turbulence and fierce wars after blinding them with their imaginary visions. They handcuffed them with reverberating slogans and chants.



In short, it is these sheikhs who erected the gallows for our youths. It is they who should be held responsible for our youths’ executions in turbulent regions.