Bin Laden soon to be arrested in China, contaminated blood sent by the Mossad and the CIA to Iraqi hospitals, Israeli passengers stranded because a Turkish pilot refused to take of with them on board...
Here are some of the stories from last week's Arab press: their imagination is running high...

When available, I have added hyperlinks to the articles.

Obviously, keep in mind that the information is not 100% reliable but I nonetheless think it is vital to have access to it. Also, we do not agree at all, to say the least, with most of the op—ed pieces but it equips us to answer them if we know what they are reading.

1. Saudi Daily al Watan October 21—22, 2004

— According to the Saudi daily al Watan, bin Laden is currently in China. Two versions of how he got there: first one he crossed the border between Afghanistan and China by mistake or second he wanted to join the Chinese Muslim community the Ouigors. Al Watan affirmed that the Chinese authorities have encircled Bin Laden and informed Washington. The two countries are now supposedly negotiating the details of the capture; China wants the US to pay a high price: trade agreements, nuclear centrals.

— Saudi Arabia is making it more difficult to obtain its citizenship. But once again, and as ever, Palestinians are not entitled to apply even if they have already another Arab citizenship.

— A Turkish pilot refused to take off on a flight between the Netherlands and Turkey because 17 Israelis citizens were on board. He won and the seventeen Israelis passengers had to be disembarked and put on other flights.

2. Elaph.com October 21, 2004

In Iraq, fundamentalists groups, including the Zarqawi faction, threatened to shoot in public every unveiled woman, Muslim and Christian alike. Women are called 'whores' in this communiqué, and are told they have an obligation to cover themselves when in public. Otherwise, death is what they can expect.  Where are all the Western feminists?

3— Saudi al Jazirah October 22, 2004

An Israeli—American plot to provide Iraqi hospitals with blood contaminated with the Creutzfeld Jacob virus has been 'uncovered' by this paper. The Mossad and the CIA have infected members of the 'Iraqi resistance' with the virus. Al Jazirah adds that Mossad agents in Britain and Germany have been given loads of this tainted blood. Also Israeli experts are working to find a way for Arab doctors not to detect that the blood is in fact contaminated. How convenient!

Obviously more than usual, information of this nature needs to be consumed with moderation and with a grain of salt.

Olivier Guitta is a freelance writer specialized in the Middle East and Europe.