Thieves have hands amputated publicly in Somalia
Radical Islamists in Somalia cut off the right hands of two men who admitted theft as hundreds of people, including women and children, looked on.
"The court handed down its verdict according to Islamic sharia law after the two accused admitted their guilt," judge Abu Yusuf Sheik Hasan told journalists Saturday.
"They paid for their crimes."
The sentence was carried out by a hooded executioner with a long knife in the small town of Balad, 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of Mogadishu, which is controlled by the Shebab movement, witnesses said.
Hassan Omar Mohamed, 18, and Murshid Ahmed Adan, 22, confessed to having burgled shops, stealing 45 million and two million Somali shillings (1,350 and 60 dollars) respectively.
A witness who gave his name as Muktar described how three men restrained each amputee, one of them holding the right arm while it was cut off.
While the pair had been drugged, "It seemed really painful," he added.
Another witness, Adan Yusuf, said, "Women and children were watching this horrible punishment and I saw a woman vomit" while it was being carried out.
The Shebab movement, which controls most of central and southern Somalia and is linked to Al-Qaeda, has imposed an extreme interpretation of sharia, including amputation and other corporal punishment.
In addition, music and most other forms of entertainment have been banned and a strict dress code is in force.
Somalia has been in the throes of civil war since the fall of dictator Siad Barre in 1991.
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albert muscat
Jul 18th 2010, 23:44
Chopping a thief’s hand. (2)
- The pillaged property should have been taken from a place where it had been put away.
- The theft itself has to be proven, either by the testimony of two qualified witnesses or by the confession of the thief twice. In case of slightest suspension the punishment MUST NOT BE CARRIED OUT.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY, the person from whom the property was pillaged has to ask for it back; if he does not, then (the thief’s) hand does not have to be cut off.
Yes it’s harsh punishment, however we don’t have to look at theft while setting behind a computer screen, sipping a hot coffee and passing a comment. We must look indepth at the cataclysmic sequences of thefts. Theft could drive companies out of business, families and kids could suffer and get destituted and dispossessed. Theft could also bankrupt the society, create insecurity, incohesion and social chaos. If this Sahria laws applicable on everyone then, why worry? Personally I don’t mind living under such laws. I fee safe, why should I steal after all? Don’t you like to live in a safe place? Sounds dandy for me indeed.
albert muscat
Jul 18th 2010, 23:41
Chopping a thief’s hand. (1)
I took the interest to investigate what Islam says about theft and I asked a qualified Muslim Imam about this serious punishment and I was informed the following:
Because cutting off the (left) hand is a serious matter it should not be done for just any case of theft. A combination of conditions must be fulfilled before the hand of a thief is cut off. These conditions are so many and quite complex, here I quote few:
- The thief must be an adult, Muslim and aware of thief’s punishment in the Quran.
- The thief must be in good mental order and not poor or in dire need.
- The pillaged property should be something of worth..
- The pillaged thing should have been taken by stealth; if it was not taken by stealth, then the hand should not be cut off, such as when property has been seized by force in front of other people, because in this case the owner of the property could have asked for help to stop the thief.
- The value of the pillaged property should be above a certain limit stipulated in Islamic court.
Joe Fenech
Jul 17th 2010, 23:00
Introduce this in Europe and we'll have less problems!
J.Borg
Jul 18th 2010, 12:42
Silly comment!
Do you know the reason why they committed theft?
Ruining a person's life in that manner is deplorable and outright ignorant. Such persons could have been educated in a much more humane and productive manner. Community work would have rendered a much better example.
Franco Farrugia
Jul 17th 2010, 19:00
Disgusting religion! I wonder if Mons. Cremona is reading this news-item and what he would say about it, in front of the three characters surrounding him at that conference!
Russell Sammut
Jul 18th 2010, 13:52
Well Said Franco, I wonder if that was an area they consider working upon! Fundamentalism is a Curse!