Mid-afternoon my phone rings and I see my friend's name pop up and look forward to a plesent convo about our lives when her words chill me to the bone.
"My kids were nearly kidnapped just now, at Al-Ain Mall."
She was upstairs (those that know AL-Ain and the mall here can easily visualize this) in Mega Mart the local Mega Grocery Store. At the front there is a large TV display set up to attract kids into dragging their parents in to see the cartoons they always put there. Those parents then start wandering the electronics of washing machines, TVs, DVDs, Stove, Fridges, etc...
So my friend's 3 kids pause to watch the cartoon and their mother casually browses the washing machines near-by still within sight distance. After a short while she notices this man glancing furtivly at her kids and then the escalator (leading to the mall exit). He continued to mill at the entrance of Mega Mart near her kids. My friend said her Mommy Radar went off and she rushed over to her kids and the man saw her and ran oof towards the escalator. She pursued him but he was very fast. Shaken she took her kids home and called me up.
"It can happen in a split second. Keep your kids right next to you and never out of your sight."
She warned me and I totally agreed. Later she called security at the Mall and they caught the whole thing on video and freeze-framed the man's face so his picture is now in all Security stations in the Mall. Insha'Allah he wont be able to strike again.
I often go to Al-Ain Mall since it is 10-15 minutes walking distance from my house to just window shop and get my kids to let off steam. I make sure they are not only in sight distance but grabbing distance, meaning if I need to get to them I can make a short fast run and be by their side to help them in an instant. I know the evils of pedophiles and their tactics. My goal in my children's life is to ensure they never get harmed by one. My kids are obvious tragets with their curly blonde hair and blue eyes which are highly desired in these Arab countries. But these pedophiles will attack any child that is grabable. Do you know how mnay times I've been harassed by security asking if these are my children because some children with their descriptions have been lost or have dissapeared. It gives me chills.
Let us not forget what happened to poor Musa, a 5 year old boy who was brutally raped and murdered by an Emirati man IN E'ID MUSALLAH!!! I was sick all day I heard about that. May Allah help his family recover.
I have heard true account stories from people who will remain unnaimed, about local Emirati children getting raped repeatedly and harmed repeatedly by drivers and maids who want to get even or to antagonize their Employer. NEVER EVER LEAVE YOUR CHILD WITH ANYONE YOU DO NOT TRUST WITH THEIR LIFE.
Sad to say that even family members can harm your child. Everyone knows stories of "Uncle Georgie" getting fresh with his niece. "Grandpa Joe" having a little snuggle under a blanket etc.....
absolutly sickening. SO be vary careful who you let spend time alone with your child.
You think the Catholic Priests molesting young boys is sick and think "well they are Catholic, we are Muslim it wont happen to my boy off learning his Qur'an every morning at the Sheikh's house."
WRONG!
I know factual happeneings of exactly that happeneing. It has been covered up over and over again of Sheikh's (meaning scholorly and knowledgable not just royalty) molesting or raping the boys they teach Qur'an to. Go with your child to their class. If you can not manage this then at least LEARN TO TALK WITH YOUR CHILDREN about these kind of dangers!!!! Let them be prepared! Tell them what to do if there is an emergency.
But first and formost Parents BE AWARE AT ALL TIMES.
May Allah have Mercy on You and Your Children
Followers
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8 intelligent thoughts:
I feel we can't say "don't leave your children with anyone you don't trust.." even the people we trust unfortunately can be harmful... :(
And now things are all mixed up..
But you said the most important Learn to talk with children.
oh come on kidnapping 3 kids at once in an open mall.He was glancing their way???People should not exagerate.Maybe if it had been one child alone,those are the targets,precautions are ok,don't go crazy either,
@Anonymous, thanks for the sympathy! I was there with 3 of my children, the creep had one in mind and touched his arm. That boy (the middle child, not the youngest nor the oldest, youngest 3 would have been more easy to carry off) happens to be my most bashful, shy child. Perps look for this things, IN FACT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY LOOK FOR!
They know time is limited and they know exactly what to look for! They go looking for a child with a plan of attack in mind. IT IS PREMEDITATED and again time is of essence. He wasnt standing there and all of a sudden got turned on by my little boy, who happens to look like a kind of typical 6 year old, to the untrained eye.
So thanks for stopping by and for the support, obviously you are not a parent and may we all say Thank God!
You gotta wonder why people stop by others blogs just to make silly comments, oh right that's why your anonymous.
Mother of My Lovely Children
It's terribly disturbing to read these kind of news. One starts to question, who else can we trust? Children should be educated on these dangers, and parents have to be extra mindful.
Creeepy. I moved here to Al Ain recently. We should meet up sometime. I am Kasey from UmmKhaled's Little Life but I have not been blogging. I am living in Zakher. Maybe Aalia told u about me.
Skies, I know what you mean it's hard to know who to trust, and what level to trust them with.
Talking is the most importnat though.
Hajar,
I know it is disturbing and worrysome but it's better to be informed than for people to walk around in a daze or lalaland thinking their children are safe then start crying when their children are gone. :) You're right parents must be mindful and children educated.
Anon1: Gosh I have to agree your tone isn't at all like a parent's tone SHOULD BE. ANy parent who's gone through hard labor and years of spitting and pooping and tears and endless nights are not going to just hear about a story like this and go "pshhh she's exagerating!" They are going to worry about their children.
And I never said he was going to grab 3 children that would indeed be cumbersome but her two youngest are small enough to be hauled off swiftly. Or any ONE of them. God loosing one child is horrable enough than loosing more than that. The point was he could have taken any of them.
Also I agree with Anon2(Mother of the children). These people premeditate their plan. They get all turned on at home or where ever then they are walking along and see some innocent child just staring off in space and the mother busy or not paying as close attention as she should have been (May Allah help her) and BAM the urge strikes to take the kid. He checks his exits and escape plan and all plans in case he should be pursued (usually to leave the kid alone). So this is not some random act. These people are sick in the minds.
Kasey, UmmKhaled,
Salam! I tried calling you yesterday! Your phone was off. I will try again today.
If we don't get in touch I wanted you to know there is a meeting today (APRIL 1st) of Al-AIn Muslim Families at 5PM. SO please e-mail me BrandyAZChase@gmail.com or get my number from Aalia if you dont hear from me. I'd love to see you there and so you could get to know more families.
Sorry this was your first post to see when you just got here! But just keep a close eye on your kids and you'll be fine insha'Allah. Al-Ain is a good city after all and crime is rare but when it DOES happen (and you never knwo when) you don't want to be the one Sorry it happened to you. Kheir Insha'Allah.
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