Jahra wedding disaster August 18, 2009
Posted by jewaira in Husbands, Kuwait, Life, News, Relationships, Women.trackback
There has been lots of discussion and speculation about the horrific tragedy in Kuwait a few days ago in which scores of women and children died and suffered from very serious burns. (Link)
Today, there are new developments to the story. The daily Kuwaiti Alqabas newspaper published the detailed confession of the woman responsible for setting fire to the tent.
She is referred to only by initials as is the custom in Kuwaiti newspapers.
N is 23 years old and the first wife.
Below is the rough translation of the interrogation published in Alqabas:
How did you plan the criminal act?
I did not plan it in advance. All that was on my mind was how to take revenge on my husband and his sisters. My sisters-in-law were responsible for my misery and the discord between my husband and I. I wanted to ruin the wedding party in any way I could.
What did you decide after that?
I knew the wedding was going to be held in a house and not in a special occasions ballroom. I knew it was going to be held in a tent outside the house so that is how I got the idea to burn the tent, after thinking of many scenarios. I finally decided to go to the wedding party location and execute my plan.
How did you execute your plan and with whose help?
No one helped me. I called a taxi who took me to Farwaniya and from there I took another taxi to Jahra.
What is the name of the taxi company you called and why did you go to Farwaniya first?
I called (…) taxi company but I only had 5 KD on me and a call taxi fare is 5 KD from Al-Rihab to Al-Jahra. I told him to take me to Farwaniya for a dinar and a half and from there I took a roaming taxi [cheaper] to my husband’s house where the wedding was taking place and it was around 7:30.
What happend after that and when did you get to the wedding party tent?
As soon as I arrived in Farwaniya I took another taxi and asked him to go to the gas station. There I asked the attendant to fill a mineral bottle of gasoline for me. I had a packet of matches in my handbag that I had brought with me from home and I arrived at the wedding around 8:30.
How did you execute the crime?
The whole way from Farwaniya to Jahra, all I could think about was how to revenge on my sisters in law and ruining the wedding party and when I arrived I asked the taxi driver to wait on the other street for me and I got out of the car and headed towards the tent. There, I began to pour gasoline on the edges of the tent and lit the fire and ran off in the same taxi.
How did you light the fire?
With a packet of matches. I struck the first matchstick which did not light but the second one did and I did not look back at the tent once it caught fire however I heard the guests screaming and thought that I was successful in ruining the party and returned home.
Did you go back home immediately?
No. I went to the police station and asked them to register a case against my husband and his sisters and I accused them of calling me and threatening me. But the police didn’t do anything and I left the station and went home..
How did you know that the fire caused a catastrophe?
By television and my brothers called me to ask if I was behind the fire and I told them I had not left the house at all and had done nothing.
What is the cause of the discord between you and your husband?
My husband is wishy washy and my discord was with his sisters; they are the ones who kicked me out of the house and decided to marry him off again thus ruining my life and the life of my child. And for that I decided to take revenge.
=========
end.
Note: Immediately since the accident, a blood drive and call for people to donate blood to the fire victims has been announced. The bride got away but lost her mother and sister- in law.
what a tragedy, horrifying beyond belief
the culprit was a psycho no doubt but what caused her to go over the top?
one simpe rule for people everywhere:
dont interfere in other peoples lives
Sisters in law can drive you insane, complete crazy, into a dangerous social isolation.
I know it by experience.
this is so fucking tragic. so many lives ruined. it’s making me a bit sick and uneasy.
I really think his ex wife only meant to stop the party and meant no physical harm on anyone. Ignorance was against her by setting the tent on fire. She should have had enough brains to figure out how dangerous that was…She said to the police it was revenge on her sisters in law. Although the in laws can drive you nuts, this is no excuse. She has destroyed her life and all those who died for a man who it’s not worth it. If he really allow his family to bully his first wife to the point of ending his marriage then he hardly holds the ‘man’ title.
I feel awful about all those women and children. What a terrible way to die!!!
We heard about it all the way over here. How many died or are injured? Were they divorced or is she the first wife as in still married? Jealousy and revenge are strong emotions I hope she realizes that she hurt many more than who she was aiming for. Very tragic.
Christina
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MTE5NDgxNTUwMQ==
My sympathies goes out to the family of the victims. As some have mentioned no matter what the in-laws did its not excuse for what she did. Its very sad that in Kuwait acts of violence like this can be deemed acceptable in one’s mind, in Kuwait the value of human life has dropped, there is no feeling for the loss of human life. She has killed 41 women and children, some women died holding their children and some women burnt to death throwing their children outside the tent. What an extreme tragedy, she has destroyed her life. I honestly think that the minimum sentence is life in prison or the death sentence, something such as this should not be let off lightly.