I just heard that the 49 yr old business man from NJ who has being held hostage in Saudi Arabia by terrorists was murdered today by his captors with alleged ties to Al Qaeda:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/...nap/index.html

Here is the story from the AP:

It is mind-boggling to me how these dogs think they are somehow furthuring their cause by this sort of savagery.

My heartfelt condolences to Mr. Johnson's family, if in fact he was killed as is claimed.

Peace,

John

The videotape of him in custody was too much to take in and of itself. I don't think he stood a chance.

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Odd coincidence that both Berg and Johnson were from this region.

I think the hardest thing about this, too, is that they take the people who can help their culture the most into hostage and kill them. I mean, this was someone who cared about other cultures, respected them and dedicated his life and career to helping.

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I'll never understand it. You'd think men with such strong convictions would have smarts. Americans don't respond to those demands - never have, never will.

Stop spreading your hate and we'll leave you alone. Why can't they get that message?? Live a life of peace and you'll be rewarded. Not for cutting the head off of a random contractor.

I'm pleased to read/hear on the news how Saudi has responded, going on a massive hunt for our guy. It's a shame they weren't successful but glad they looked in the first place.

We never left them alone, thats why they're so hate filled toward us. people seem to be under the delusion that arabs woke up one day, and started hating the US for no reason. Or a myth the US media seems to push is that they're "jealous of our lifestyle". They hate us because of our foreign policy and that we fund and arm opressive regime's.

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It's being reported at this hour that they've found the body and the severed head, and the U.S. has confirmed it.

The fact that we couldn't make a rescue happen here in the amount of time the terrorists suggests there is no synergy, no transparency. The terrorists are likely part of the government, or governmental agencies.

I heard one of the analysts talking today, and they were predicting that this was just the beginning, that sooner or later they were going to get someone at a very high level - a government official, for example - and force both governments to do business their way. I also hear many companies weighing the risk/reward from a biz perspective this afternoon, as in is it worth the risk of lawsuits by families like the Johnsons to continue doing business there.

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I don't like to see anyone die . . . but let's not make this man a saint.

He worked for Lockheed as a "specialist" and an engineer who works as a systems developer for the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. The Apache is one of the most despised aircraft in the Arab world and is responsible for hundreds if not thousands of deaths in that area of the world.

This is not exactly humanistic employment. In a nation where most Arabs despise the Americans and resent the fact that we have maintained troops and aircraft for nearly fifteen years since the end of Iraq 1. And Johnson had been part of that effort since 1992.

I, like most of you, find the tactics of terrorists to be an anathma. But, how would you feel if your family was blown up by a neat, clean missile strike from an Apache helicopter.

Since the invasion of Iraq, we have lost some 800 troops. The Iraqi's have lost more than 10,000, many - if not most - of them civilians.

One excess does not excuse another - but I'm not ready to grant Mr. Johnson sainthood, nor am I ready to excuse Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney and the American military.

If you want to find parity, look at the fact that we have now classified some 37 detainees as homicides with active investigations on 11. And meanwhile, we have admitted that we have failed to register an unknown number of detainees (prisoners) with the International Red Cross, as required under the Geneva Convention.

Lastly, before we knight him and declare him a saint, it might be pointed out that most Americans in Saudi Arabia live in all American enclaves, shielded from their Arab neighbors. They are there because they make a ton of money. They ignore the Islamic traditions (the picture being shown around by the family showed him sitting at a table with lots of beers - an affront to most Moslems who eschew alcohol).

I don't want to see anyone killed. But can we avoid the crocodile tears and the misplaced beatification.

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I think the media is making him seem to be more of a saint than we are here, but I agree with the point ... and going a step further, he chose to live there, he chose to do the work he did for whom he did it. He could have left once 9/11 happened; he (and everyone there) had to figure we'd be more tuned in than ever on Saudi Arabia after that.

It's true he didn't deserve it, but it's also true that he chose that life and clearly - having lived there for 10 years - accepted, or didn't see, any risk involved.

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nobody is making this guy a saint...I have not heard people saying on a large scale that this guy was a great man (other than friends and family)...what saddens most of us is that he was an INNOCENT person...yeah, he created missle systems for apache helicopters...if you think that makes him somehow liable for his own death, er no BEHEADING, then that puts me at a loss for words, which is very rare for me.

Do you drive a car, have you ever taken a bus, or flown somewhere? If the answer is yes, Then I bet some of the oil and gas used in that car, plane, or bus came from saudi arabia, the people there don't live that great because the royal family hordes the money that comes from oil exports...I guess you and I since we have used arabian gas contribute to the poor lifestyle of many suadi's, so if they kill you or me, then we also deserve it, right?

dude, I'm holding back because this board is not meant for personal attacks, but I will say again that this guy is an innocent person, a saint...I never knew him, so I don't know if he was a good guy or a bad guy, but he didn't deserve to be beheaded.

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Hey Jen, you said:
I find such a statement demeaning to the people working for NGOs bringing food, medical care, etc. to the people or Iraq and other portions of the Arab world. They care.

This was a mercenary.

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