JEDDAH, 27 October 2004 — Actors of the popular Saudi TV serial Tash Ma Tash have come under death threat from terrorists after the highly popular episode “And life continues” was telecast.
The episode, regarded by many Saudi viewers as the best of Tash Ma Tash this year, deals with terrorist groups and the horrible crimes they committed in the Kingdom. The episode was also welcomed by many viewers from the Gulf and Arab countries. Its popularity seems to have upset the terrorist group that issued a threat on the Internet to kill the actors. Naser Al-Qasabi, the star of the serial, along with some actors was put on a hit list.
The threat evoked mixed reactions among TV watchers. While some called it disgusting, others said they were not surprised that such a threat would come from terrorists. Aminah Salem, a female university student, said, “Tash Ma Tash is a popular Saudi serial. It has gained Arab recognition and respect since it went on air ten years ago. I was very disturbed when I heard about the threat. The episode about terrorism was emotional and it was the best episode this year. It exposed terrorist groups and showed their ugly face. Their mind is evil and they think only of destruction. The episode relates to the confessions of terrorists that were aired last month on Saudi TV. I was happy that the actors were brave enough to discuss this problem because Tash Ma Tash is the actual reflection of what is going on in our society. It identifies the problem and tries to find a solution, but in a comical way.”
Naser Al-Qasabi told Okaz newspaper that he was surprised that his name was on the hit list. He described the death threat as shameful and an “indication that we have people with intellectual crises. These people with such black thoughts should be dealt with sternly”.
He said, “Many people now believe that these terrorist groups came from a different planet. We have to study these groups psychologically to determine where the defect is in their minds. These people used the Internet to threaten us and the institution that produces the program, claiming that by killing us they will end corruption. These people should know that Islam is a religion of peace and they should realize that disagreement does not mean fighting those with a different opinion”.
