Othman Hadi Al Maqboul al-Amri

Othman Hadi Al Maqboul al-Amri
Born	1969 (age 41–42)
Nationality	Saudi Arabia
Other names	عثمان هادي آل مقبول العمري
Known for	suspected terrorist

Othman Hadi Al Maqboul al-Amri (عثمان هادي آل مقبول العمري) is a citizen of Saudi Arabia who Saudi Security officials suspected of ties to terrorism.^[1] He was one of 26 suspects they placed on their Saudi list of most wanted suspected terrorists in December 2003. He surrendered on June 28 2004, the second suspect to surrender, after King Fahd offered a partial amnesty.^[2] He surrendered in Halba bani Amr.

Brian Whitaker of The Guardian called him the first important surrender in response to the amnesty.^[3] Whitaker speculated that al-Amri may have played a "logistics role" not an active role, in militancy.

The partial amnesty does not spare him a trial, or detention, if convicted, but it does spare him a death sentence.^[1] According to albawaba Safar Al-Hawali played a mediation role in negotating al Amri's surrender.^[4] Al-Hawali said that he expected Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister Muhammad ibn Naif to call al Amri to meet him. When he was captured al Amri said ""I surrendered of my own free will, having trusted the words of Crown Prince Abdullah." He called on other suspects to follow his example and surrender.

Al-Amri is from al-Namas Province.^[1] He has been married twice, and has five children. He served as a Sergeant in the Saudi army. His family says he fell under suspicion when he disappeared in December 2002. There was press speculation that al-Amri may have travelled to Iraq, after the US invasion.

Brian Whitaker, of The Guardian quoted from an interview al-Amri gave for documentary broadcast on Saudi TV, about al Haer prison, in December 2004.^[5] al-Amri said about the prison officials, "I swear to God, they are nicer than our parents."

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Abdullah Al-Shihri (2004-06-28). "Wanted militant surrenders". Cnews. http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2004/06/28/517834.html. Retrieved 2011-09-30. "One of Saudi Arabia's most-wanted militants turned himself in Monday, a security official said, becoming the second militant to do so since King Fahd offered them temporary amnesty." 
2. ^ "Top Saudi militant surrenders". Tribune of India. 2004-06-28. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040629/world.htm. Retrieved 2011-09-30. 
3. ^ Brian Whitaker (2004-06-28). "Saudi militant turns himself in". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/jun/29/saudiarabia.brianwhitaker. "Mr Amri, 37, from the south-western province of al-Namas, may have calculated that he is unlikely to be heavily punished. He is thought to have had a logistics role in the group and may not have been directly involved in bloodshed."  mirror
4. ^ "Following Saudi amnesty proposal: Top '\'terrorist'\' hands himself in". albawaba. 2004-06-28. http://www.albawaba.com/news/following-saudi-amnesty-proposal-top-terrorist-hands-himself. "A well-known religious scholar, Safar Al-Hawali, who served as a mediator between Al-Amri and the authorities, said the suspect was expected to meet Assistant Interior Minister Prince Muhammad ibn Naif later Monday."  mirror
5. ^ Brian Whitaker (2004-12-16). "Oh what a lovely jail". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/dec/16/alqaida.saudiarabia. "Al-Qaida supporters detained in Saudi Arabia have appeared in a television documentary about al-Haer jail, 25 miles south of the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and delivered rave reviews of life inside. "I swear to God, they [the jailers] are nicer than our parents," said Othman al-Amri, once No 21 on the kingdom's list of most-wanted terror suspects."  mirror