- Title: JORDAN: Father of CIA suicide bomber identifies son on video and blames Americans
- Date: 10th January 2010
- Summary: MOSQUE WHERE BALAWI USED TO PRAY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) KHALIL BALAWI, FATHER OF CIA BASE SUICIDE BOMBER HUMAM BALAWI SAYING: "The American oppression against the Muslim world and injustice turn anyone to this sort of thing. There is an American oppression, arrogance. They kill innocent people and children and find no one to tell them why they are doing that. We pray that
- Embargoed: 25th January 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Jordan
- Country: Jordan
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
- Reuters ID: LVAB8BRZJB5MFKB683D77OCC6H5A
- Story Text: Father CIA base bomber recognizes son on video and blames American policy in the Arab world for his fate.
Hours after the release of a video of Humam Balawi, the Jordanian suicide bomber double agent who killed CIA agents in Afghanistan, his father recognized his son's identity and blamed the Americans for his actions.
From his home in a middle class neighbourhood in East Amman, Khalel Balawi, said he was devastated to watch his son on video earlier in the day.
"He is absolutely my son, doctor Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal [Balawi]. My feeling is that of a father who lost his son, powerless. I pray that God takes revenge from those responsible for turning his wife into a widow and sons into orphans."
Seven CIA officers and contractors were killed in the bombing inside Forward Operating Base Champman, a well fortified compound in Khost province near the south-eastern border with Pakistan.
Balawi blamed the American policy in the region for the actions of his son, insisting he was proud of what he did.
"The American oppression against the Muslim world and injustice turn anyone to this sort of thing. There is an American oppression, arrogance. They kill innocent people and children and find no one to tell them why they are doing that. We pray that God accepts him with the martyrs and prophets."
"They turned him from a doctor, who dealt with humans to one who deals with intelligence and etc. I blame them before Allah," he said before entering a local mosque for prayer.
Balawi was identified in a video released by Pakistan television station by his online name Abu Dujana al-Khorasani. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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