Bravado of Saudi corporal in confronting terrorists lauded

RIYADH — The bravery displayed by corporal Jabran Bin Jaber Awaji in confronting two terrorists in Riyadh on Saturday has been widely appreciated by citizens on the social media and even by foreign newspapers. Awaji came face to face with the two terrorists and gunned them down single-handedly one after the other though he said his colleague Al-Shirari, who did not appear in the video clip, was equally brave. "My colleague was the unknown soldier who greatly supported me during the confrontation with the two terrorists," he said from his hospital bed where he is getting treatment. He greatly admired the bravery of his colleague who protected him thus enabling him to shoot accurately and said he is courageous in every sense of the word. Narrating his story, Awaji said the two terrorists escaped from their hideout in Al-Yasmin district in north Riyadh when they felt that they were being surrounded by the security forces. He said the two men came out of their house carrying two machine guns which they hid under their clothes. "I was following them when they opened fire at me. I tried to warn them but they continuing firing," he said. He said he hid himself behind the police patrol car into which they tried to enter with the hope to escape away. "I used my machine gun and shot one of them. When I ran out of bullets, I took out my pistol and shot the second one," he said. Awaji said he did not feel that he was injured until he saw blood coming out of his body. "I was hit in the hip and was immediately rushed to the hospital," he said. Awaji said the video clip which was widely circulated on the social media was not a manifestation of his personal bravery but is rather an expression of the duty of any policeman who is willing to sacrifice his life for his country. He was extremely appreciative of the gesture of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, who sent an envoy to visit him in the hospital and also talked to his father on phone. The father, Jaber Awaji, on his part, expressed happiness over the telephone call from the Crown Prince and said it was not surprising that the Saudi leaders were deeply concerned about the lives and well-being of their citizens. "Though my son is hit in the hip but I am extremely happy that he was able to shoot down the two terrorists who were a real threat to the Kingdom's security and stability." On the other hand, the father of the dead terrorist, Tayea Salem Al-Saayari, refused to accept condolences on the death of his son and said the traitors should not be mourned. He said he was not surprised by the death of his son because he was quite sure that the security forces would get him sooner or later. The father said he has disowned his son's actions a long time back and informed the security forces about his disappearance. He, however, said they did not receive the body and waiting finalization of some procedures. Abu Ibrahim, the father of the young girl who videofilmed the 40-second confrontation between the security men and the two terrorists, said he was amazed by the bravery of his 27-year-old daughter who captured the incident on her mobile. He said his daughter, who later got panicked, has been confined to hospital with her mother who were both terrorized.