Tuesday, May 11, 2004

Not the first

Poor Nick Berg. This isn't the first beheading on video in recent times. Daniel Pearl was beheaded on video; mercifully, most haven't seen it. Abu Sayyaf also made a videotape of Philippine soldiers being beheaded, apparently for internal consumption. There's also apparently a video floating around of a Russian soldier being beheaded (or at least murdered up close and personal) by Chechens, but I haven't verified it. All these details one can check via a search engine.

I'll chalk beheading up to a fad, with terrorist groups try to outdo each other for ferocity.

Beheading is still a method of capital punishment in Saudi Arabia, though they try to get it done in one swift cut. Those not into public specatcle should avoid "Chop-Chop" Square in Riyadh on Fridays.

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