Sampson shows 'erratic' behaviour - Canadian tortured in Saudi jail

[dArKeR]

William Sampson likely discovered he was being released from 31 months on death row in a Saudi Arabian prison when authorities took him to the airport yesterday and put him on a plane to Britain — his release as much a surprise to him as to the rest of the world.

The British-born Canadian biochemist, who had been sentenced to death by beheading, refused to meet with Canadian diplomats on Wednesday when they arrived to tell him that he would be freed, one of his lawyers said yesterday.

Mr. Sampson "had words and showed some hostility," Michael O'Kane, one of his lawyers in Saudi Arabia, said in an interview from Riyadh.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030808.usamps0809/BNStory/National/

http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[snake1306]

1. Maybe

Sampson knows what a failure Canada's "soft diplomacy" has been. Regimes that play hard ball scoff at weakness.

If it wasn't for Britain's hard push, this Canadian's head would probably have been on the chopping block by now.

[glarius]

2. Canada does not have the power of the USA and can not throw it's

weight around....I don't think you really know what you are talking about...The Canadian government worked to get Mr. Sampson's release.

[LeftistGorilla]

3. soft diplomacy?

Saudi Arabia is backed by the most powerful and corupt nation/government in the world... It can do and does whatever it pleases...even funding those organizations that SPONSOR attacks against the most powerful and corupt nation/government in the world...

[newyawker99]

5. Hi snake1306!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[glarius]

4. Sampson wouldn't even communicate with his father for the last while he

was in prison because he had gone into a deep depression due to his circumstances...I remember months ago this case being discussed on Canadian TV and this was said....Yesterday his cousin was on TV and said he wouldn't be seeing Mr. Sampson until the latter was ready to see him...