[quote=Article][B]A Canadian-born software developer was shot dead in Libya earlier this week while storming a compound believed occupied by Moammar Gadhafi, friends and co-workers said Thursday.
Nader Benrewin was gunned down by a sniper in the Libyan capital of Tripoli a day after launching a mission to take the compound, they said. He was 24.[/B]
The Department of Foreign Affairs said it is aware of reports that a Canadian was killed in Libya but declined to provide any confirmation or details.
[B]Benrewin had only recently joined Libyan rebels fighting the Gadhafi regime, after witnessing the atrocities of the war in the country where most of his family live, his friends said.
Haitham Alabadleh said Benrewin gave up a job as a software developer in order to raise awareness of the plight faced by anti-Gadhafi forces.
“He went to Libya to make sure that he showed the international media what truly happened there,” Alabadleh said in a telephone interview from Ottawa.[/B]
“Gadhafi keep telling the media, 'Oh, it's only small groups, they're having some dispute and we're going to solve this problem. Nobody is dying in Libya, everything is fine.' ... (Benrewin) wants to go and show abroad a lot of videos and establish a website to show really what's happening in Libya.”
Benrewin's Libyan roots ran deep despite a childhood that kept him on the move and saw him settle on three continents. He was born in Edmonton and spent his early years in Ottawa before relocating to the United Kingdom, Alabadleh said. He spent a few years in Tripoli before returning to Ottawa in 2008.
Once there, he threw himself into social causes, frequently attending fundraisers in support of people living in the Gaza Strip or efforts to build a Muslim cemetery in the city, he said. He attended lectures and seminars on peace efforts in the Middle East.
Alabadleh said Benrewin had hoped to enrol in a master's program in information technology but was urged to gain more practical experience before pursuing higher education.
He spent a year and a half working at private technology firm, SilenceIt, before moving onto a web development job at N-VisionIt in December 2010.
During his three months at the company, Benrewin earned a reputation as a first-rate employee with a caring and helpful nature, said co-worker Nathalie Villeneuve.
He was completely open about his plans to support Libyan rebels when he resigned in March, Villeneuve said.
“He gave us a full explanation of what he was intending and the reason why he was leaving so that we could better understand,” she said.
“He was such a great employee and was very, very good at what he did. When he told us that he was planning to leave the company, he had to give us an explanation because we just didn't understand why you would leave your job if you were so good at it.”
[B]Alabadleh said Benrewin had not initially planned to take up arms in the fight against Gadhafi, saying he hoped to support rebel forces with his technical expertise.
Once rebel leaders recognized his organizational talents and learned he was familiar with Tripoli, however, he was recruited for more front-line tasks, he said. “So he becomes leader management for the group that is to free Tripoli,” Alabadleh said.[/B]
[B]Despite months of preparation, Benrewin's mission lasted only a day before he was hit by a sniper's bullet on Aug. 23, he said.[/B]
Alabadleh said he cried all night after learning of his friend's death, reminiscing about their days together. He lamented the end of Benrewin's future plans, which he discussed in detail during instant messenger chats from Libya.
“Always he writes for me and he tell me, 'Yeah, we are doing some good stuff. I hope we'll free Libya soon and I'll come back. I remember you, I miss you very much. I want to complete my studies, I want to go back to work.'“[/quote]
Saw a little bit about this on my local news and did a quick search for this article.
Pretty sad, but this man was an absolute hero to leave a country like Canada, with freedoms and opportunities, to return to his home country to fight in a horrible conflict. Absolute hero.
Damn shame, need more people like that in the world.
[QUOTE=Article]Alabadleh said he cried all night after learning of his friend's death, reminiscing about their days together[/QUOTE]
:smith:
A good man. People like these show us that the world hasn't gone to [u]total[/u] shit-yet.
He died aiding a people he had no obligation to. One can only hope for such an honorable death.
[QUOTE=Arachnidus;31944942]He died aiding a people he had no obligation to.[/QUOTE]
Well, the article did say that most of his family lived there.
[QUOTE=LeeMelvin;31945032]Well, the article did say that most of his family lived there.[/QUOTE]
Still, that doesn't mean he had to rush there to aid in the fighting. Getting his family out, yes, but he was under no obligation to aid the rebels in a combat capacity.
Yeah and so have protesters and other rebels but we don't see articles about them.
Yeah it is sad, but what the hell did he expect when storming in to a compound.
This man is a hero. Rest in peace
Is it legal to go around participating in rebellions like that?
I heard he didn't like violence and he wasn't fighting. More evidence pointing towards gaddafi's war crimes?
[QUOTE=Apache249;31945561]Is it legal to go around participating in rebellions like that?[/QUOTE]
Depends if it's right. Depends if it's wrong. If you're supporting rebellion against a totalitarian dictator it could be legal. Truly it doesn't matter about the legality, it matters about what you believe. It just depends on what you're fighting for.
[QUOTE=Apache249;31945561]Is it legal to go around participating in rebellions like that?[/QUOTE]
Absolutely. In fat, I think the world would be a better place if we volunteered to fight the battles we wanted to fight in ourselves.
I've always been interested in the idea where you could volunteer to fight for your beliefs or ideology or the outcome you wanted in a rebellion or civil war. The Spanish Civil War was mostly fought on the Republican side by leftist volunteers shipped in from all over the world by various political organizations. Today we have this idea that "it's over there, it doesn't matter to us" style of thinking, but that's not how it should be.
Then I suppose this is something we should try some day. Get a nice Facepunch rebellion party going, as long as it's for a good cause.
[QUOTE=Apache249;31945859]Then I suppose this is something we should try some day. Get a nice Facepunch rebellion party going, as long as it's for a good cause.[/QUOTE]
OIFY platoon takes the left flank, while GD company and Fast Threads lead the assault?
[QUOTE=fskman;31946141]OIFY platoon takes the left flank, while GD company and Fast Threads lead the assault?[/QUOTE]
Don't forget the WoT thread providing armor support whilst bickering about the unbalance of real life combat.
[editline]yes[/editline]
And the guy below me offering mediocre strategy.
[QUOTE=fskman;31946141]OIFY platoon takes the left flank, while GD company and Fast Threads lead the assault?[/QUOTE]
I don't think you should trust Fast threads with any duty. They would be too busy talking about penises and whose avatar they'd fuck.
[QUOTE='[Seed Eater];31945780']Absolutely. In fat, I think the world would be a better place if we volunteered to fight the battles we wanted to fight in ourselves.
I've always been interested in the idea where you could volunteer to fight for your beliefs or ideology or the outcome you wanted in a rebellion or civil war. The Spanish Civil War was mostly fought on the Republican side by leftist volunteers shipped in from all over the world by various political organizations. Today we have this idea that "it's over there, it doesn't matter to us" style of thinking, but that's not how it should be.[/QUOTE]
If I recall correctly there's a Swedish woman that left Sweden and now lives and fights with Burmese rebels.
[QUOTE=fskman;31946141]OIFY platoon takes the left flank, while GD company and Fast Threads lead the assault?[/QUOTE] OIFY would probably be best taking up their rear...if ya know what I mean.
Well, what do you expect when you join a war? Still sad. Not as sad as the thousands of other Libyans who have died though.
Isn't there a modern-day Abraham Lincoln Brigade?
There should be...
I could [i]never[/i] do this. Not even if the rebellion is rolling with no losses. Something tells me I'd be the first casualty.
[QUOTE=fskman;31946141]OIFY platoon takes the left flank, while GD company and Fast Threads lead the assault?[/QUOTE]
If facepunch was an assault force our most dangerous forces would be everyone from the dragon megathread
[QUOTE=MR-X;31945538]Yeah and so have protesters and other rebels but we don't see articles about them.
Yeah it is sad, but what the hell did he expect when storming in to a compound.[/QUOTE]
Did your average protester leave a secure, comfortable country to go half way across the world to participate and lend a talented hand? No.
Not to demean any Libyan rebels at all, they are all heroic in their efforts, no doubt. But I thought this was noteworthy because of the drive this man had to help stop something that only affected the lives of relatives.
And what are you talking about with that 'no articles for Libyans' comment? There are thousands of articles on the ongoing struggle in Libya. Sure this one covers one man's struggle and death, but it's just because his special particular situation to get involved.
If he was willing to go there, he had to know there was a possibility of death, and he did it anyway. Damn.
[QUOTE=MR-X;31945538]
Yeah it is sad, but what the hell did he expect when storming in to a compound.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, how dare he expect to help his country overcome a horrible dictator, he should only expect death.
That sounds badass... May he rest in peace.
i salute him
rest in peace
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