Boston: Glenn Beck and the Saudi National

Good for him :) Maybe he was invited due to him being erroneously listed as a terrorist. I also read somewhere that he received death threats from people who seem to think that he was involved in the Boston Bombing.

In my personal opinion. I think Al Harbi should sue Glenn Beck for defamation of character and slander.

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/conte...-3b-boston-marathon-bombing-conspiracy-theory


Following the bombing at the Boston Marathon last year, Glenn Beck went on a personal crusade to prove that the Obama administration was engaged in a massive cover-up of the role that an al Qaeda operative played in the attack and was doing so for the benefit of the Saudi Arabian government.

Beck infamously gave the US government three days to come clean about the cover-up before he exposed it on his network. When those three days passed, Beck launched into a full-scale campaign to prove that Abdul Rahman Ali Alharbi, who was injured in the bombing, was actually an al Qaeda "control agent" and "money man" who financed the operation and recruited the Tsarnaev brothers to carry it out.

Beck's theory rested on the fact that Alharbi had once been considered a "person of interest" during the investigation but was quickly cleared. Beck's network received information during the investigation that Alharbi "was set to be deported under section 212 3B" for "terrorist activities" and it was upon that piece of information that Beck built his entire campaign, as he spent days hammering away, challenging everyone to disprove his theory and warning that they would only discredit themselves if they tried to do so.

Eventually, Beck's crusade came to a grinding halt when he brought a former INS special agent onto his program to bolster his theory but, instead, watched as Bob Trent blew a hole right through it by pointing out that the 212 3B designation and Beck's entire timeline "doesn't make sense."

After that, Beck more or less abandoned the issue, though he continued to personally believe in his original conspiracy and mention it from time to time.

And now, nearly one year later, Beck and his company are being sued by Alharbi for defamation and slander:

Glenn Beck defamed on his radio show a Middle Eastern victim of last year's Boston Marathon bombing as a criminal participant in it, the man claims in Federal Court.

Abdulrahman Alharbi sued Beck, The Blaze Inc., Mercury Radio Arts and Premiere Radio Networks for defamation and slander.

Alharbi describes himself in the 6-page lawsuit as "a 20-year-old student who was a spectator at the Marathon and was injured in the bombing. Mr. Alharbi, like many others, was questioned by federal authorities investigating the events of that day. Those authorities also, with his permission, searched his apartment. The responsible officials quickly concluded that Mr. Alharbi, other then being injured in the attacks, had no involvement in the attacks. Many news outlets reported the facts of the search of an apartment and that authorities had questioned a man of Middle Eastern descent. When the authorities concluded that Mr. Alharbi had no involvement, reports ceased. The defendant Glenn Beck, with the active participation of the distributor defendants, repeatedly and falsely identified Mr. Alharbi as an active participant in the crimes that were committed on April 15, 2013, repeatedly questioned the motives of federal officials in failing to pursue or detain Mr. Alharbi and repeatedly and falsely accused Mr. Alharbi of being a criminal who had funded the attacks that took place at the Boston Marathon. Those statements were made widely and publicly. The statements were false and did grave injury to the plaintiff."

Beck, The Blaze and Mercury Radio all are based in Texas, defendant Premiere in California. Beck's show is owned by Blaze and its corporate parent Mercury, according to the complaint.

The complaint adds: "Beck falsely accused Alharbi of being a criminal who had funded the attacks that took place at the Boston Marathon.

"On or about May 8, 2013, and at repeated and diverse times thereafter, Beck stated that Alharbi was the 'money man' who had funded the attacks at the Boston Marathon.

The statements made by Beck were false."

Alharbi says he has "received numerous messages ... based on Beck's statements accusing him of being a murderer, child killer and terrorist."

He seeks punitive damages for defamation with malice.

- See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/conte...ombing-conspiracy-theory#sthash.RX8sjpSg.dpuf
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May Mr. Beck reap the harvest he has sown.

I'd be very interested to see how this case turns out considering the discrepancies regarding Beck's sources and info.
 
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Another article from Boston Magazine with Court Documents. (download)

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2014/03/31/glen-beck-sued-boston-marathon-attack/
A Boston man searched by authorities in the days following the Marathon bombings is suing a national media outlet and radio personality for defamation and slander after the network allegedly continued to implicate him as a possible suspect, even when he was cleared of any wrongdoing by federal investigators.

According to court documents, Abdulrahman Alharbi, a Saudi Arabian student who lives in Revere, became the focus of public speculation for a brief time during the search for those responsible for setting off two pressure cooker bombs on Boylston Street. Alharbi claims that political commentator Glenn Beck and the company that carries his show, The Blaze, smeared his name in the media even after Alharbi was no longer the subject of the investigation.

“On and after April 15, Beck broadcast repeated statements distributed and published to others…identifying Alharbi as an active participant in the crimes that were committed in Boston,” Alharbi’s lawyer, Peter Haley, wrote in a six-page filing dated March 28 in U.S. District Court of Massachusetts. “Beck falsely accused Alharbi of being a criminal who had funded the attacks that took place at the Boston Marathon…the statements made by Beck were false.”

The court document goes on to say that because of Beck’s statements made on national media platforms, which later were syndicated to other networks, Alharbi’s reputation has been “substantially and severely” damaged. Alharbi’s lawyer said his client has been inundated with hateful messages online accusing him of being a “murderer” and “child killer,” as well as a terrorist.

Beck’s claims were based on initial news reports that surfaced almost immediately after the bombings last year. As reports poured in, and media outlets grasped at whatever leads they deemed viable or suspicious in nature, Alharbi’s name began to circulate.

Federal authorities questioned Alharbi, who was injured when the bombs went off near the finish line, as he walked to meet friends for lunch, while he lay in his hospital bed with minor injuries sustained in the attack. With permission from Alharbi investigators raided his apartment in Revere to conduct a search. According to The Islamic Monthly, who interviewed Alharbi one month after he was first implicated as a possible suspect, “the media discovered his full address and publicized it while filming the FBI search of his apartment. By early Tuesday, reports of his full name and photos from his Facebook account were circulated.”

He was later exonerated by The Washington Post, and authorities said he was merely a “witness,” but Alharbi told The Islamic Monthly he feared for his life after being pegged as a possible terrorist. “The responsible officials quickly concluded that Mr. Alharbi, other then being injured in the attacks, had no involvement in the attacks,” his lawyer said.

Although nothing turned up as a result of that search and Alharbi was later acquitted of any suspicions and outlets stopped focusing on Alharbi, according to the court documents Beck continued to apply pressure to federal investigators, blasting them for not detaining Alharbi for further questioning. “[Beck] repeatedly questioned the motives of federal officials in failing to pursue or detain Alharbi,” Haley wrote. “[He] repeatedly and falsely accused Mr. Alharbi of being a criminal who had funded the attacks that took place at the Boston marathon. Those statements were made widely and publicly. The statements were false and caused grave injury to the plaintiff.”

Alharbi is accusing Beck of one count of defamation, and one count of defamation with malice. He’s asking and “praying” that the courts determine the amount of damages they think this alleged defamation caused as well covering the cost of attorney’s fees.

Boston reached out to Alharbi for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.

This isn’t the first example of a lawsuit filed by people wrongly accused of being the alleged Marathon bombing suspects. Two Boston-area men who had bags on their backs were splashed on the front cover of the New York Post as the investigation and search for the bombers continued. Those men, labeled by the Post as “Bag Men,” sued the newspaper for libel. That case is still pending.

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Another article from Boston Magazine with Court Documents. (download)

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2014/03/31/glen-beck-sued-boston-marathon-attack/
A Boston man searched by authorities in the days following the Marathon bombings is suing a national media outlet and radio personality for defamation and slander after the network allegedly continued to implicate him as a possible suspect, even when he was cleared of any wrongdoing by federal investigators.

According to court documents, Abdulrahman Alharbi, a Saudi Arabian student who lives in Revere, became the focus of public speculation for a brief time during the search for those responsible for setting off two pressure cooker bombs on Boylston Street. Alharbi claims that political commentator Glenn Beck and the company that carries his show, The Blaze, smeared his name in the media even after Alharbi was no longer the subject of the investigation.

“On and after April 15, Beck broadcast repeated statements distributed and published to others…identifying Alharbi as an active participant in the crimes that were committed in Boston,” Alharbi’s lawyer, Peter Haley, wrote in a six-page filing dated March 28 in U.S. District Court of Massachusetts. “Beck falsely accused Alharbi of being a criminal who had funded the attacks that took place at the Boston Marathon…the statements made by Beck were false.”

The court document goes on to say that because of Beck’s statements made on national media platforms, which later were syndicated to other networks, Alharbi’s reputation has been “substantially and severely” damaged. Alharbi’s lawyer said his client has been inundated with hateful messages online accusing him of being a “murderer” and “child killer,” as well as a terrorist.

Beck’s claims were based on initial news reports that surfaced almost immediately after the bombings last year. As reports poured in, and media outlets grasped at whatever leads they deemed viable or suspicious in nature, Alharbi’s name began to circulate.

Federal authorities questioned Alharbi, who was injured when the bombs went off near the finish line, as he walked to meet friends for lunch, while he lay in his hospital bed with minor injuries sustained in the attack. With permission from Alharbi investigators raided his apartment in Revere to conduct a search. According to The Islamic Monthly, who interviewed Alharbi one month after he was first implicated as a possible suspect, “the media discovered his full address and publicized it while filming the FBI search of his apartment. By early Tuesday, reports of his full name and photos from his Facebook account were circulated.”

He was later exonerated by The Washington Post, and authorities said he was merely a “witness,” but Alharbi told The Islamic Monthly he feared for his life after being pegged as a possible terrorist. “The responsible officials quickly concluded that Mr. Alharbi, other then being injured in the attacks, had no involvement in the attacks,” his lawyer said.

Although nothing turned up as a result of that search and Alharbi was later acquitted of any suspicions and outlets stopped focusing on Alharbi, according to the court documents Beck continued to apply pressure to federal investigators, blasting them for not detaining Alharbi for further questioning. “[Beck] repeatedly questioned the motives of federal officials in failing to pursue or detain Alharbi,” Haley wrote. “[He] repeatedly and falsely accused Mr. Alharbi of being a criminal who had funded the attacks that took place at the Boston marathon. Those statements were made widely and publicly. The statements were false and caused grave injury to the plaintiff.”

Alharbi is accusing Beck of one count of defamation, and one count of defamation with malice. He’s asking and “praying” that the courts determine the amount of damages they think this alleged defamation caused as well covering the cost of attorney’s fees.

Boston reached out to Alharbi for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.

This isn’t the first example of a lawsuit filed by people wrongly accused of being the alleged Marathon bombing suspects. Two Boston-area men who had bags on their backs were splashed on the front cover of the New York Post as the investigation and search for the bombers continued. Those men, labeled by the Post as “Bag Men,” sued the newspaper for libel. That case is still pending.

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Right Wing Watch ? LOL It doesn't prove anything . We will see what happens . He is not the only person who thinks he was hiding something . Saudis are the biggest sponsors of terrorism. It will probabaly end up like this case
An East Coast 9/11 truth activist is preparing to file a defamation lawsuit against TV / radio personality, Glenn Beck, the producers of the Glenn Beck Program, and the Fox News Channel.
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http://www.infowars.com/911-truth-activist-sues-glenn-beck-and-fox-news-for-defamation/ Maybe the guy who made the Anti Muslim video will sue our government for being blamed for Benghazi ? See if that makes it to Right Wing Watch ?
 
Saudis are the biggest sponsors of terrorism. It will probabaly end up like this case
An East Coast 9/11 truth activist is preparing to file a defamation lawsuit against TV / radio personality, Glenn Beck, the producers of the Glenn Beck Program, and the Fox News Channel.
Content from External Source
http://www.infowars.com/911-truth-activist-sues-glenn-beck-and-fox-news-for-defamation/ Maybe the guy who made the Anti Muslim video will sue our government for being blamed for Benghazi ? See if that makes it to Right Wing Watch ?
Its not just RWW, the story has already circulated to mainstream news.
The fact is that his propaganda and lies has made an individual a target for harassment and possible threats. This serves as a demonstration as to the dangers that he and people like him represent to the public.

I don't know how this will end up for Alharbi, but you are correct that he's not the only one who thinks he's hiding something.. and we know who we can thank for that
 
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I know I looked
[ Saudis are the biggest sponsors of terrorism. It will probabaly end up like this case
An East Coast 9/11 truth activist is preparing to file a defamation lawsuit against TV / radio personality, Glenn Beck, the producers of the Glenn Beck Program, and the Fox News Channel.
Content from External Source
http://www.infowars.com/911-truth-activist-sues-glenn-beck-and-fox-news-for-defamation/ Maybe the guy who made the Anti Muslim video will sue our government for being blamed for Benghazi ? See if that makes it to Right Wing Watch ?


I know it looked it up . Surprised you didnt provide a more credible link ? Thanks for keeping us up to speed on this . I always like to know the outcome and the truth . In the end the truth does matter even if goes against Glenn Beck .
 
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I know I looked



I know it looked it up . Surprised you didnt provide a more credible link ? Thanks for keeping us up to speed on this . I always like to know the outcome and the truth . In the end the truth does matter even if goes against Glenn Beck .


I suppose that I could have picked a non partisan affiliated news source that would have basically said the same thing. But what difference does it make so long as the statements are true and backed by evidence?


Anyway, I just looked into that article about the 9/11 truther suing Glenn Beck, and there doesn't seem to be any comparison between these situations. First off, Greg Hoover (the plaintiff) sued beck for making a disparaging comments about 9/11 truthers in general which is entirely different than going after someone by name. I tried to find updates as to what became of this case and I found nothing because the case was most likely thrown out of court.


What makes this different is that not only did Glenn Beck name Al Harbi as being involved in the Boston Bombing; he harped on it for over a week and spent numerous hours of airtime doing so while his staff wrote several or more news articles vilifying this kid. And on top of that, he made claims that Al Harbi was deemed "armed and dangerous" by DHS and showed no evidence. His so called "event file" is highly questionable at best, and he lied to his audience about what an SAO really was. He basically orchestrated a publicity stunt from a tragic event at Al Harbi's expense which is despicable beyond belief. Glenn Beck probably has deep enough pockets to provide a good legal defense, but remember that one does not need a unanimous verdict by the jury to win civil cases, and that jury is unlikely to have an abundance of Glenn Beck sympathizers. This puts Beck in a bit of a sticky because anything he says at this point to re affirm his narrative regarding this story would only dig himself an even deeper hole. As much as I would like to see Beck publicly held accountable for his actions; I know that an out of court settlement is the most likely scenario as lawyers aren't known for being righteous crusaders. However a part of that agreement would most likely be an apology and the removal of articles implying Al Harbi's guilt...... Which doesn't amount to much because a detraction from beck would only be seen as evidence of another Sorosian conspiracy and removing articles doesn't do much considering how much news material gets copy/pasted everywhere else these days.

And realistically speaking, an out of court settlement would be the best thing that Beck could hope for so as to sweep it under the rug.

I guess Glenn Beck will be financing Al Harbi's citizenship along with a nice car to drive.
 
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I suppose that I could have picked a non partisan affiliated news source that would have basically said the same thing. But what difference does it make so long as the statements are true and backed by evidence?


Anyway, I just looked into that article about the 9/11 truther suing Glenn Beck, and there doesn't seem to be any comparison between these situations. First off, Greg Hoover (the plaintiff) sued beck for making a disparaging comments about 9/11 truthers in general which is entirely different than going after someone by name. I tried to find updates as to what became of this case and I found nothing because the case was most likely thrown out of court.


What makes this different is that not only did Glenn Beck name Al Harbi as being involved in the Boston Bombing; he harped on it for over a week and spent numerous hours of airtime and his staff wrote several or more news articles vilifying this kid. And on top of that, he made claims that Al Harbi was deemed "armed and dangerous" by DHS and showed no evidence. His so called "event file" is highly questionable at best, and he lied to his audience about what an SAO really was. He basically orchestrated a publicity stunt from a tragic event at Al Harbi's expense which is despicable beyond belief. Glenn Beck probably has deep enough pockets to provide a good legal defense, but remember that one does not need a unanimous verdict by the jury to win civil cases, and that jury is unlikely to have an abundance of Glenn Beck sympathizers. This puts Beck in a bit of a sticky because anything he says at this point to re affirm his narrative regarding this story would only dig himself an even deeper hole. As much as I would like to see Beck publicly held accountable for his actions; I know that an out of court settlement is the most likely scenario as lawyers aren't known for being righteous crusaders. However a part of that agreement would most likely be an apology and the removal of articles implying Al Harbi's guilt...... Which doesn't amount to much because a detraction from beck would only be seen as evidence of another Sorosian conspiracy and removing articles doesn't do much considering how much news material gets copy/pasted everywhere else these days.

And realistically speaking, an out of court settlement would be the best thing that Beck could hope for so as to sweep it under the rug.

I guess Glenn Beck will be financing Al Harbi's citizenship along with a nice car to drive.
" What Difference does it make " ? Sounds like a Hillary Quote :) Missing from this article was the Event File that Glenn Beck was referring to. Context matters here





Subject, ALHARBI, ABDULRAHMA ALI E DOB 03/12/1993 COC Saudi Arabia PP#K35608, is the holder of a F! (N00086999!8) NIV Foi#e3139541 issued on 20-NOV-2011 & Exp 11-NOV-2016, Subject is an exact match to the No FLY TPN#1037506192. Derogatory information reviewed by W/C Mayfield and CW/C Maimburg was found to be sufficient to request a Visa revocation. NTC-P is requesting revocation of Foil# E3139541. Subject is inadmissable to the US under INA 212(a)(3)(B)(i)(H). SAO was not completed prior to Visa issuance. Subject is currently in the United States, admitted F1 student, at Boston POE on 08/28/2012. Subject is a student at THE UNIVERSITY OF FINDLAY, 1000 NORTH MAIN STREET FINDLAY, OHIO 45840-3695. Subject has One (1) prior event# 1648067, Fins promoted NT in place, No scheduled found at this time
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" What Difference does it make " ? Sounds like a Hillary Quote :) Missing from this article was the Event File that Glenn Beck was referring to. Context matters here


How is the event file relevant to the context? They brought up Bob Trent who pointed out the discrepancy on that event file, thus putting it's legitimacy in question to begin with. What is so special about those 4 lines of text that it needs to be shared? It's something that could be very easily faked. He claimed that there was a 2nd page of this file that described Al Harbi as armed and dangerous. What happened to that? Has anyone since independently verified the legitimacy of this document after nearly a year?
 
How is the event file relevant to the context? They brought up Bob Trent who pointed out the discrepancy on that event file, thus putting it's legitimacy in question to begin with. What is so special about those 4 lines of text that it needs to be shared? It's something that could be very easily faked. He claimed that there was a 2nd page of this file that described Al Harbi as armed and dangerous. What happened to that? Has anyone since independently verified the legitimacy of this document after nearly a year?
Well maybe a jury trial will expose a lot ? I think it will go nowhere . There are still many questions that need to be answered . Still wonder why their friend of the BB was killed in Florida ?
 
That we shall see. I don't think any reasonable jury would look to kindly upon the extensive amount of effort that Beck put into vilifying an innocent person. Beck's lawyers know this which is why they will look to settle out of court.

Beck's tactics might work with his audience, but showing the jury several lines of text and calling it an event file while inaccurately interpreting it's contents won't go over very well in a courtroom. I'm sure the plaintiff's lawyer could get a counter terrorism expert to verify the validity of that document. It would be a shame to find out that it was a forgery.
 
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Questions about Al Harbi, like what? The guy who was killed has nothing to do with him.
How do you know ? There was no trial . Id like to know what he was doing in Boston ? Id like to know what he was doing in America for that fact ? So yes I look forward to a trial . Not like Australia just lets anybody in ? or Do They ?
 
That we shall see. I don't think any reasonable jury would look to kindly upon the extensive amount of effort that Beck put into vilifying an innocent person. Beck's lawyers know this which is why they will look to settle out of court.

Beck's tactics might work with his audience, but showing the jury several lines of text and calling it an event file while inaccurately interpreting it's contents won't go over very well in a courtroom. I'm sure the plaintiff's lawyer could get a counter terrorism expert to verify the validity of that document. It would be a shame to find out that it was a forgery.
What if his Jurors are also Fans of him ? Plus it will be in Boston. Im not so sure Bostonians believe they know the whole story .
 
What the hell? Why should there be a trial for him? You support continued slander and unsubstantiated suspicion of an injured bystander? Why wouldn't he have been in boston? Why would he stand in front of a bomb he knew about?
 
What the hell? Why should there be a trial for him? You support continued slander and unsubstantiated suspicion of an injured bystander? Why wouldn't he have been in boston? Why would he stand in front of a bomb he knew about?
defamation trial . I dont think Beck made the so called event file ? This could bring to light what this was all about .
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano admitted Tuesday that a Saudi national once identified as a "person of interest" in the Boston Marathon bombings was put on a terror watchlist after the attack.
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http://news.yahoo.com/janet-napolitano-major-admission-saudi-student-put-watch-194225495.html
 
Glenn Beck Loses Bid to Dismiss Libel Suit

http://www.politico.com/blogs/under...-bid-to-dismiss-saudis-libel-suit-199438.html


A federal judge has rejected a bid by conservative commentator Glenn Beck to toss out a libel lawsuit filed by a Saudi student Beck repeatedly accused of funding the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

In a ruling Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Patti Saris said the suit brought by Abdulrahman Alharbi could go forward notwithstanding claims by Beck, his website The Blaze.com, and firms connected to his radio show that the Saudi's role in events near the finish line of the marathon made him a public figure. If deemed a public figure, Alharbi would have found it difficult or impossible to proceed with the suit since he would need proof of actual malice: namely, that Beck intentionally lied or recklessly disregarded the truth.

Alharbi was briefly investigated in connection with the bombing and a variety of media outlets reported on that inquiry. But Saris said that was not sufficient to render the student, who also incurred minor injuries at the finish line, a public figure.

"Choosing to attend a sporting event as one of thousands of spectators is not the kind of conduct that a reasonable person would expect to result in publicity. Quite to the contrary, a spectator at an event like the Boston Marathon would reasonably expect to disappear into the throngs of others, never attracting notice by the press. Because he did not 'assume the risk of publicity,' Alharbi does not meet the definition of an involuntary public figure," the judge wrote.

(Also on POLITICO: Republicans ready to vote)

Saris went on to note that Beck continued to level allegations at the Saudi student for several weeks after authorities made clear Alharbi was no longer under investigation.

"Even if a private person meets the definition of an involuntary public figure as a matter of bad luck during a public controversy, the status is of limited duration. As such, Alharbi lost that status when his name was cleared," the judge wrote in an opinion posted here.

The judge observed that "many of the facts are in dispute" but she said it was possible Alharbi could demonstrate the level of culpability needed to prevail against the conservative commentator or the related companies.

"The facts alleged in Alharbi’s complaint easily permit an inference that the defendants were negligent as to the truthfulness of their reports after the authorities cleared his name," Saris wrote.

(Also on POLITICO: The new GOP divide)

Unless settled, the case is now likely to proceed to a discovery phase where the two sides exchange information and take depositions from those involved.

A spokesman for Beck did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment for this post.

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Not looking good for the Beckster. :)
 
Speaking of Saudis :)
Saudi Arabia has introduced a series of new laws which define atheists as terrorists,
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http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...ack-down-on-political-dissidents-9228389.html Got to love that country so much freedom and tolerance :mad:

I know this is a very old comment, but has it perhaps occurred to you that the lack of freedom and tolerance in Saudi Arabia is exactly the answer to your question:

Id like to know what he was doing in Boston ? Id like to know what he was doing in America for that fact ?
 
Or just the fact that Saudi Arabia is a country of some 30 million people, with a per capita purchasing power parity comparable to the US, in a city with a large number of internationally connected businesses, during a tourist event? Why WOULDN'T he be there? There's a reason why every time there's an epidemic or rebellion or war breaking out anywhere in the world, there's always Americans and Canadians and British and Chinese and Russian and other citizens that are evacuated by their local embassy, and it's not because they were involved.
 
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