Another Rescue Story from the Westgate Mall

[baz]

A previous thread, about the SAS operative who helped rescue folks in the Westgate Mall attack, was shut down, in part because firearms seem to have little to do with his heroics.

Well, here's a different story of rescue efforts where having a gun appears to have emboldened the person who went to the mall (wasn't there to begin with) and helped rescue people (with pics).

 

[OptimusPrime]

A good guy with a gun. Amen.

 

[hso]

I have the highest regard for that man. Even after his brother was out and safe he continued to help rescue others who he had no relationship with other than being a fellow human being. That's heroic.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Whether Abdul Haji or the ex-SAS guy used their weapons, I know it would be hard for me to imagine entering a live fire zone to rescue people unarmed myself.

Abdul Haji went to the mall because he believed his brother needed rescue; after being texted his brother had safely escaped the mall, he continued to rescue trapped citizens.

I think the message should be man with a gun MWAG is often a good guy.

 

[X-Rap]

It seems that there were a number of non uniformed "good guys" there that certainly did probably help a lot of people out. I wonder if there were any FF incidents?
It's funny how we can almost ignore the photographers when we speak of bravery, their story is certainly that of running to the sound of gunfire although their motives were probably quite different than those of the rescuers.
Some of the comments were interesting, I wonder what the unspoken atrocities were? If Beslan was a template it was probably horrible.
I also wonder why it took so long to finally organize an offensive and if it is true that there was just a hodge podge of unorganized forces there.

 

[Tinpig]

Very gutsy indeed, especially since an unidentified, unaffiliated MWAG is often perceived by uniformed security forces as a threat, particularly in a totally chaotic situation.
We throw the term "heroic" around a bit loosely these days, but I think it fits a man who repeatedly disregards his own safety in order to save others.

Tinpig

 

[Malamute]

In another news story I saw about him, he said he showed up outside and there were about 15 guys gathered, some just ordinary people it seems, and some security people. They went in and started searching for people, clearing store by store to get people out. They exchanged fire with the terrs on at least one occasion. It seems some good guys had pistols, some had AK's.

I believe in one of the stories someone said "some Asian guys handed us guns" and they went in looking for people to get out. In another story it was mentioned that many of the group was "Asian-Kenyans".

I don't have the link at hand, but I think I had just googled "Kenya mall attack" and found it. It was one of several on him, but the one story had some good info firsthand from him.

 

[hso]

Interview with Abdul Haji
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6r1kECr-4X0

 

[Carl N. Brown]

The photographers were described as wearing kevlar helmets and flak vests. The term "war correspondent" pops up in my mind, probably from hokey 1950s B movies. It does take something to run toward the sound of gunfire armed with a camera. Without their whatever they have, we would not have records of people, places and moments like posted above by hso:

 

[X-Rap]

The middle photo make me think WT??? The guy is pinned into a corner with glass on one side and has an AK in one hand and a pistol in the other??