DAMMAM, 4 June 2004 — The owners of the Oasis Compound will pay a lifetime salary to the next of kin of the seven Indians murdered at the compound in last week’s terror attacks, according to the Indian ambassador.
“We consider those who died inside the compound as if they are still working with us and therefore we will continue to pay their salary to their next of kin all their life,” Kamaluddin Ahmad quoted the chairman of the Saad Group, Maan Al-Sanea, as saying.
Of the eight Indian casualties, seven were killed at the compound, while one Indian, Lawrence Gregory Monis, died in crossfire when the police opened fire at the terrorists on Saturday morning.
All seven were working for the Saad Group, most of them in menial jobs.
Ahmad also asked Eastern Province Governor Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd to facilitate the procedures so that the bodies of the victims can be repatriated. “The result was instant and we hope that all the bodies will be ready for transport to India by Saturday or Sunday,” Ahmad said.
Procedures were already completed for the body of Lawrence Monis, whose wife has arrived to take the body home, he said.
The governor also offered his condolences on the deaths of the Indians in the Oasis hostage drama and vowed the government will leave no stone unturned to ensure the security of the residents in the region.
The Indian ambassador also met Indian employees of the Saad Group and assured them that their employer as well as the authorities were going to make sure they are safe.
Ahmad said that he did not believe the attack targeted Indians. Rather, the Indians were victims of circumstance, he said.
He also attended a condolence meeting for Lawrence at the Carlton Hotel here together with a number of prominent Indians.
