MAKKAH, 5 October 2004 — A 17-year-old Saudi youth ran over nine-year-old Bassam Al-Fadhly in a suspected case of premeditated murder, Al-Madinah newspaper reported. The victim’s father, Abed Al-Fadhly, said the incident happened on Sept. 10 after Fajr.
His older son Mamdouh along with Bassam and their cousins were surprised by a speeding car that came directly toward them.
All the boys fled except Bassam. The car hit him and dragged him for 56 meters, according to police reports. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
Al-Fadhly said: “I couldn’t restrain myself when I heard the news. My wife and I broke down, especially when we saw our son’s body — it was battered and bloodied.”
The teenager driving the car said he had a fight with Bassam’s cousins and wanted to take revenge.
Al-Fadhly said the teenager was arrested and placed in juvenile custody in Jeddah.
The boy’s body was kept in the King Abdul Aziz Hospital morgue for 10 days causing the family immense grief, especially for the mother who could not come to terms with the reality of the situation.
Muhammad Al-Fadhly, a relative, denounced the behavior of the teenager who ran over the boy and said he must be dealt with in an exemplary manner.
