Arab World: Remembering September 11

This post is part of our special coverage Global Voices 9/11 Retrospective.

Twitter users from across the Arab world paid tribute to the 3,000 victims of September 11 as the world recalled the horrors committed by Al Qaeda terrorists who flew four passenger jets into buildings in the US 10 years ago.

Saudi cartoonist Malek Nejer says September 11 is a hideous crime, no matter who the perpetrators are.

عموماً، ١١ سبتمبر جريمة بشعه، سواء قام به مسلمين أو يهود أو حتى مجموعة كائنات فضائية
@Nejer: September 11 is a hideous crime, whether it had been committed by Muslims, Jews or aliens
9-11 Tribute Lights Photowalk

9-11 Tribute in Lights, New York 2010 © Kamau Akabueze on Flickr (used with permission)

From Dubai, the UAE, AbstruseArif notes:

@AbstruseArif: today is one of those days that many wished didnt happen..yet it did..#screamsstillresonates #911

From Bahrain, blogger Mohammed Al Maskati or emoodz, tweets:

@emoodz: My thoughts and prayers go to the American, Afghan and Iraqi victims of the horrific terror acts of #911.. May their souls rest in peace..

He adds:

@emoodz: Lots of lessons to be learnt by how America handled the aftermath of #911.. Focus on the future but never forget the past.. #lulu #Bahrain

Saudi dentist Nouf Abdulrahman blames Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden for the deaths of the September 11 victims, as well as those of both Iraq and Afghanistan – wars the US entered as part of its war on terror.

She tweets:

ضحايا العراق و افغانستان انا احمل بن لادن – لا رحمه الله – دمائهم و دموع أهاليهم وليس ضحايا امريكا فقط #sept11
@Dr_Nouf: I blame Osama bin Laden – may his soul not rest in peace – for the blood of the victims of Iraq and Afghanistan and the tears of their families, and not only the American victims

For Saud Al Sheikh, from Saudi Arabia, the remembrance brings up memories of other atrocities. He tweets:

@SAMAlsheikh: You remember 911 yet you don't remember the massacre of 8000+ muslims in bosnia.

@SAMAlsheikh: You remember 911 but you don't remember an estimated 2million palestinians killed since 1948

From Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, AhmadOTB makes a similar observation:

@AhmadOTB: It's 9/11 in the states but it's 24/7 in Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan

And Nora Al Ashaikh, also from Saudi Arabia, adds:

@Neeart: I'm so sorry that some people died in 9/11 but it's happening every day in middle east, people are dying every day…

Fellow Saudi, Haneen Baitalmal is, however, appalled with the lack of consideration from some people. She notes:

@HaneenBa: I truly can't understand people who say 9/11 is overrated. Have some mercy in you for gods sake!

And last but not least, Dubai-based journalist Tom Gara observes:


@tomgara
: In the ten years it has taken to almost build a new World Trade Centre, Dubai basically built Dubai.

This post is part of our special coverage Global Voices 9/11 Retrospective.

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