webfact Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 Fearing for Saudi teen's safety, Canada refugee agency hires guard By Anna Mehler Paperny Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, an 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled her family, speaks at the COSTI Corvetti Education Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada January 15, 2019. REUTERS/Mark Blinch TORONTO (Reuters) - Amid threats to the safety of Saudi teenager Rahaf Mohammed, who was granted asylum in Canada, the Toronto agency helping her has hired a security guard to ensure "she is never alone" as she starts a normal life, its executive director said on Tuesday. Mohammed, 18, made international headlines after she barricaded herself in an airport hotel room in Thailand's capital Bangkok to avoid being sent home to her family due to fears of being harmed or killed. The family denies any abuse. The teen has received multiple threats online that have made her fear for her safety, said Mario Calla, executive director of Costi, a refugee agency contracted by the Canadian government to help her settle in Toronto. Costi has hired a security guard and plans to "make sure she is never alone," Calla told reporters. "It's hard to say how serious these threats are. We're taking them seriously." Mohammed, who has renounced her family name al-Qunun, gave a public statement in Toronto on Tuesday that was read on her behalf in English by a settlement worker. "I understand that everyone here and around the world wishes me well and would like to continue to hear about how I am doing, but ... I would like to start living a normal private life, just like any other young woman living in Canada," she said in the statement read by Saba Abbas. Canada's agreement to take Mohammed comes at a delicate time for Canada-Saudi relations. Last year the kingdom froze all new investment with Canada after foreign minister Chrystia Freeland called for the immediate release of jailed rights activists. So when Freeland welcomed Mohammed at the Toronto airport in person, some critics argued that might have further provoked Saudi authorities. But Freeland told reporters Tuesday she did what she would have wanted for her own daughter. "I imagined it would be a difficult and perhaps frightening moment and it might make a difference for her personally to feel she had the personal and welcome support of our government." Mohammed thanked the Canadian and Thai governments and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for making her move to Canada possible. "I am one of the lucky ones," she said. "I know that there are unlucky women who disappeared after trying to escape or who could not do anything to change their reality." (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Bernadette Baum and David Gregorio) -- © Copyright Reuters 2019-01-16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chippy151 Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 I think she may need more than 1 guard. Good luck to her. She did a very brave thing and hopefully her actions will help other Saudi women in the barbaric hole that is Saudi Arabia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavideol Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 poor thing, she needs way more than a body guard, much, much more, kashoggi had the Turkish police and they still found a way to cut him into pieces.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoePai Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 hired a security guard to ensure "she is never alone" as she starts a normal life So it's "normal" to have a guard hanging around 24/7 ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theguyfromanotherforum Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 God, she's a beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neeray Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 If the Saudis mean ill will, I agree, she'll need an army to protect against these butchers. But I imagine there are many safety measures in place that the general public will never be aware of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Dude Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 So many Islamic nutjobs everywhere now and they will not rest until she is gone, even if it takes years. It's not the fleeing that riles them up so much, it's the renunciation of the religion that will keep their hatred all fired up forever...rather like Salman Rushdie is still at the top of their list as well after all this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksidedog Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 Canada at least realises and makes no bones about discussing how untrustworthy and dangerous the Saudis can be. Good on them for taking her in and even more so for not being shy about ensuring her safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavideol Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 7 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said: God, she's a beauty. sic mind... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tug Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 She like Mala Yousef is a brave one womanhood at its best I would be proud to have her as a friend good luck blessings to you in your new life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweatalot Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 Security guard? Wha not change her name, may be her appearance and let hjer live in an undisclosed location? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannork Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 4 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said: God, she's a beauty. Makes you regret leaving the land of lumberjacks so soon and returning to Los, perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dick dasterdly Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 4 hours ago, Sir Dude said: So many Islamic nutjobs everywhere now and they will not rest until she is gone, even if it takes years. It's not the fleeing that riles them up so much, it's the renunciation of the religion that will keep their hatred all fired up forever...rather like Salman Rushdie is still at the top of their list as well after all this time. Good point, but does Rushdie still have bodyguards? Genuine question as I don't know. How has he managed to survive all these years? Another genuine question, as again I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
from the home of CC Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 if they want her bad enough she will be gotten to, though imo I don't believe they want any more bad press (at least presently) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dick dasterdly Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 4 hours ago, neeray said: If the Saudis mean ill will, I agree, she'll need an army to protect against these butchers. But I imagine there are many safety measures in place that the general public will never be aware of. 19 minutes ago, sweatalot said: Security guard? Wha not change her name, may be her appearance and let hjer live in an undisclosed location? I doubt the Saudi's will act quickly against her, as it would be too obvious - but her family may. In which case 'flag' them at Canadian Immigration? This wouldn't stop hired assassins of course, if her family are prepared to go that far. But again, it would be more than a bit obvious, and would only increase anti-Saudi sentiment - so hopefully they wouldn't stoop to these levels. 'Hopefully' is, I agree, not good enough - so clearly she needs a bodyguard for a while until her family get over their initial anger. Changing her name and moving her to an undisclosed location has to be the best course of action, but surgery to change her face?? A step too far, unless she wants this course of action to make her even less detectable. As mentioned in my previous post, Rushdie has managed to survive so probably best to look at how he 'worked around' the problems (along with Mala Yousef) to see her way forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Dude Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 20 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said: Good point, but does Rushdie still have bodyguards? Genuine question as I don't know. How has he managed to survive all these years? Another genuine question, as again I don't know. Apparently Rushdie doesn't have 'day-to-day' security guards anymore and only now has them for an odd public appearance...which is very rare by all accounts now. Seems he now lives in New York (not the UK anymore) and uses an alias often as well. Although, as an aside with this current case, it must be all the more infuriating for the religious nutters as it's a woman exercising her freedom of thought and will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VocalNeal Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 Canada has lots of remote towns where she can move to. Even a few off the beaten track universities if she can pass the entrance exam. Name change and keeping her head down would be the best plan of attack. Edit: I'm thinking she should find a small town with an friendly Shia Islamic community get re-accepted into the faith and live a quiet life. She doesn't need to be a practicing Muslim. Just Muslim enough to keep the nutters at bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon43 Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 ... but surgery to change her face?? A step too far, unless she wants this course of action to make her even less detectable. That seems rather drastic action. What she needs is something to cover all of her face so no-one can recognise her, only see her eyes. And disguise her body shape by wearing some sort of ill-fitting 'tent' that covers her body all the way down to her feet. Oh hang on!! ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dap Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 9 hours ago, JoePai said: hired a security guard to ensure "she is never alone" as she starts a normal life So it's "normal" to have a guard hanging around 24/7 ???? There is nothing "normal" anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Credo Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 Her situation is far from settled yet and she is pretty high profile. Any reasonable gov't would provide whatever security it felt necessary to protect someone under their care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balo Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 SHe could be an easy target for a professional hitman. Best advice would be to change her name and close her private twitter account. Get new friends and forget islam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manarak Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 17 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said: God, she's a beauty. SRSLY ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheungWan Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 17 hours ago, JoePai said: hired a security guard to ensure "she is never alone" as she starts a normal life So it's "normal" to have a guard hanging around 24/7 ???? Yes, for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heybuz Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 6 hours ago, Credo said: Her situation is far from settled yet and she is pretty high profile. Any reasonable gov't would provide whatever security it felt necessary to protect someone under their care. lucky she didn't go to oz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopDeadSenter Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 This article sums up what I have long suspected. Trudeau's Canada, in it's frenzy to show to the world that by taking all and anybody from violent ideologies and - with no questions asked - giving them life on easy street in Canada turns them into happy little lambs. Well, obviously these islamists did not roll over and embrace freedom and secular life. The long and short is that Canada is so infested with jihadis that it is unsafe for this young lady, and will always be unsafe for her. Thanks to 2 decades of "progressive" globalism she does not have many safe countries left to seek refuge. Japan, Poland or Hungary could be about the only safe places on this planet for her. What a bizarre situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car720 Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 21 hours ago, dick dasterdly said: Good point, but does Rushdie still have bodyguards? Genuine question as I don't know. How has he managed to survive all these years? Another genuine question, as again I don't know. He converted to Islam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolboy Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 21 hours ago, VocalNeal said: Canada has lots of remote towns where she can move to. Even a few off the beaten track universities if she can pass the entrance exam. Name change and keeping her head down would be the best plan of attack. Edit: I'm thinking she should find a small town with an friendly Shia Islamic community get re-accepted into the faith and live a quiet life. She doesn't need to be a practicing Muslim. Just Muslim enough to keep the nutters at bay. Huh? To the Salafists, renouncing Islam was bad enough. But to resubscribe to what they consider apostasy would actually be even more of a provocation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheungWan Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 20 hours ago, balo said: SHe could be an easy target for a professional hitman. Call Jack Reacher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaleySabai Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 This girl will need to "disappear" - new identity - drop the "Mohammad" , lose your religion and relocate to another province. Brave girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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