Dublin man fighting for Libyan rebels

Hail 2 Da Thief

Anyone know this guy? Is he a hero or a headcase?

As Libyan rebels braced for more desert fighting yesterday, one of them explained battlefield dangers -- in a Dublin accent.
"They have ammunition to burn while we are running out of ammunition," said Irishman Husam Najjair, who is taking part in a new offensive against government forces near Tiji.
Once a builder in Dublin, he now belongs to the Tripoli Revolutionary Brigade, one of the rebel forces struggling to end Muammar Gaddafi's rule.
The son of an Irish mother and Libyan father, he decided to join the rebels after reports alleging that government troops were committing atrocities to quell Libya's uprising.
"I heard there were rapes and oppression. I could not just sit there like a couch potato just watching it on the news," said Najjair, holding a rifle he purchased himself.
Najjair came to Libya for a family wedding in January and stayed on to fight after the February 17 revolt began. Friends back home were shocked.
Like many rebels, he had a crash course in warfare, mostly on the job. Sometimes he gathers intelligence. Or he uses Facebook to promote the rebels.
"I am also a sniper," said Najjair, who was born in Dublin. "It's not rocket science. You just hold your breath and shoot."
Adjusting to his new life has meant an upheaval for him. "I wasn't always such a good Muslim in Dublin," said the bearded Najjair. "You could say I spent some time at nightclubs."
The days can be tedious. Rebels sit around for hours cleaning their guns and awaiting orders as the sun beats down on rough, sandy terrain and scrub that offer few hiding places from the heat, or Gaddafi's Grad missiles.
Stench
When it is broken, the meal is likely to be simple, perhaps another camel like the one which was eaten recently. The stench of the remains of its carcass permeated the air.
Rebels have seized several towns and villages in the offensive. But the war has seen Gaddafi's forces hit back and retake territory.
Najjair lost two comrades on Sunday and he says taking the town of Tiji will be tough because it is loyal to Gaddafi. "Their blood runs green," he said, referring to the colour that symbolises Gaddafi's rule.
"Yesterday a sniper was closely tracking me and shooting at me as I moved for quite a distance," said Najjair.
But he believes it's worth the risk. "This has made me learn about myself, what I am capable of achieving," he said.

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/africa/irishman-gets-crash-course-in-warfare-after-joining-rebels-2836774.html

TerryTibbs!

Good Irish name he has

phill106

TerryTibbs! wrote: »

Good Irish name he has

is that the Najjair's from cavan or roscommon?

Guill

phill106 wrote: »

is that the Najjair's from cavan or roscommon?

No, you thinking of Mary Najjair, he's one of Micks in Fermanagh.

I think.

CreepingDeath

Surely as an Irish builder, he should know that the best way to bring down a government is to cause a massive property bubble.

Fekin hell. That is literal madness.. I respect him for believing in a cause though.

mackg

So he decided that something wasn't the way it should be and actively set out to change it? Maybe the rest of us that stayed in Ireland could learn a little from him.

phill106

mackg wrote: »

So he decided that something wasn't the way it should be and actively set out to change it? Maybe the rest of us that stayed in Ireland could learn a little from him.

We live in a democracy, all we would have to do is vote.

Dravokivich

Deleted User wrote: »

Fekin hell. That is literal madness.. I respect him for believing in a cause though.

mackg wrote: »

So he decided that something wasn't the way it should be and actively set out to change it? Maybe the rest of us that stayed in Ireland could learn a little from him.

I suspect he is doing it as atonement of some sort, seeing as he considered himself a "Bad Muslim."

Blazer

phill106 wrote: »

We live in a democracy, all we would have to do is vote.

How's that working out for you/us? :rolleyes:

opinion guy

Sc@recrow wrote: »

How's that working out for you/us? :rolleyes:

Better than rioting is working out for the Greeks

TheChevron

You would want a fair set of balls on you to do what he's done, fair fúcks.

super_furry

Fair play to him and it's far from unprecedented. Just look at all the Irishmen who fought on both sides in the Spanish Civil war.

mackg

phill106 wrote: »

We live in a democracy, all we would have to do is vote.

We need someone who we want to represent us to run first. When FF were going to be gone from government there was no question who was coming in. How many people actually protest things in this country, even something like the legalisation of cannabis, not trying to start yet another debate about it just using as an example, what percentage of the people who agree with the legalisation have ever taken part in the marches etc. I do and I havn't. We are far too passive, myself included.

mgmt

Sounds like an idiot to me.

phill106

Sc@recrow wrote: »

How's that working out for you/us? :rolleyes:

Well my chance of enda kenny firing a 50cal at me today is 0%, so better then in libya!
derailing thread, back on topic of dublin man with amusing surname!

listermint

mackg wrote: »

We need someone who we want to represent us to run first. When FF were going to be gone from government there was no question who was coming in. How many people actually protest things in this country, even something like the legalisation of cannabis, not trying to start yet another debate about it just using as an example, what percentage of the people who agree with the legalisation have ever taken part in the marches etc. I do and I havn't. We are far too passive, myself included.

Marches are useless..


Start a party. One with an proper manifesto.

mackg

Dravokivich wrote: »

I suspect he is doing it as atonement of some sort, seeing as he considered himself a "Bad Muslim."

Probably got his wife to call him that when they were at it.

You've been a baaaaad muslim havn't you?

super_furry

listermint wrote: »

Start a party. One with an proper manifesto.

Good luck finding a bunch of motivated stoners.

c_man

The Libyan rebels must be among the worst fighters of all time. They have the backing of, and active assistance from, the most powerful military alliance the world has ever seen, supposedly popular resistance to the old regime country wide and yet after months and months they're still being held off.

Of course Irish builders in the mix explains all this, never do a job properly or on time.

mackg

super_furry wrote: »

Good luck finding a bunch of motivated stoners.

ringadingding

Sounds like yer man from four lions, omar.

I particularly like his quote
'being a sniper is not rocket science, hold your breathe and shoot'

bikerjohn

ringadingding wrote: »

Sounds like yer man from four lions, omar.

I particularly like his quote
'being a sniper is not rocket science, hold your breathe and shoot'

Now, I know a thing or two about snipers!!! as I am professionally trained as a sniper, if he thinks all he has to do is hold your breathe and shoot!!!!
he will be a dead sniper very soon :D

mackg

ringadingding wrote: »

Sounds like yer man from four lions, omar.

I particularly like his quote
'being a sniper is not rocket science, hold your breathe and shoot'

"Bomb the Mosque" what a movie:D

phill106

bikerjohn wrote: »

Now, I know a thing or two about snipers!!! as I am professionally trained as a sniper, if he thinks all he has to do is hold your breathe and shoot!!!!
he will be a dead sniper very soon :D

indeed, he forgot to say,start breathing after:)

ringadingding

Maybe he will be the new vasily zaytsev........:)

Monty Burnz

Dravokivich wrote: »

I suspect he is doing it as atonement of some sort, seeing as he considered himself a "Bad Muslim."

Yeah, it's a bit worrying how he may be conflating fighting for freedom from Gadaffi (sp?) with Islam.

Latchy

No doubt he knows the consequences and feels this is worth risking his life for .

johngalway

"I am also a sniper," said Najjair, who was born in Dublin. "It's not rocket science. You just hold your breath and shoot."

Well, actually, Husam.... It is, ballistics and all that.

"Yesterday a sniper was closely tracking me and shooting at me as I moved for quite a distance," said Najjair.

I get the feeling both sides subscribe to Husams notion.

Wicklowrider

ringadingding wrote: »

I particularly like his quote
'being a sniper is not rocket science, hold your breathe and shoot'

bikerjohn wrote: »

Now, I know a thing or two about snipers!!! as I am professionally trained as a sniper, if he thinks all he has to do is hold your breathe and shoot!!!!
he will be a dead sniper very soon :D

He may very well be a sniper and a good one at that. If he is, he isn't good at describing it. Sniping or any shooting is a lot more scientific than holding your breath and shooting. If I remember correctly (long time since I was shooting) you actually release your breath and squeeze the trigger before inhaling again? What about windage, calculating range etc - does his rifle have some sort of computer?

Latchy

Wicklowrider wrote: »

If I remember correctly (long time since I was shooting) you actually release your breath and squeeze the trigger before inhaling again?

Yeah you exhale on the shoot .

wobbles

Good to see hes doing something with himself after emigrating.

Pherekydes

Deleted User wrote: »

Fekin hell. That is literal madness.. I respect him for believing in a cause though.

You respect him even though he's mad?

Standard Toaster

http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20110801&t=2&i=470604489&w=&fh=&fw=&ll=700&pl=300&r=2011-08-01T181412Z_01_BTRE7701ENS00_RTROPTP_0_LIBYA-REBELS-IRISHMAN

I'm pretty sure he tiled my bathroom back in 2007.

Hope he's 'havin da craic' over there.

Blazer

Wicklowrider wrote: »

He may very well be a sniper and a good one at that. If he is, he isn't good at describing it. Sniping or any shooting is a lot more scientific than holding your breath and shooting. If I remember correctly (long time since I was shooting) you actually release your breath and squeeze the trigger before inhaling again? What about windage, calculating range etc - does his rifle have some sort of computer?

exactly...you exhale and hold for 1-2 seconds and then breathe again..
plus to be honest most of those guys would be only shooting 200-400 yards max..it's not as if he's sniping people from a mile away...

plus..who else thought this guy played Call of Duty when he started on about sniping?

Standard Toaster

Seems like there's a few hardened snipers on boards.

finisklin

Standard Toaster wrote: »

Seems like there's a few hardened snipers on boards.

Definitely not battle hardened!

Blazer

Standard Toaster wrote: »

Seems like there's a few hardened snipers on boards.

even have their own forum

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=501

biko

Adjusting to his new life has meant an upheaval for him. "I wasn't always such a good Muslim in Dublin," said the bearded Najjair. "You could say I spent some time at nightclubs."

Seems he's getting religion too.
I really hope that Arab Spring means that the dictator is ousted and will not be replaced by the Muslim Brotherhood but by secular democratic parties.

Nodin

Hail 2 Da Thief wrote: »

Anyone know this guy? Is he a hero or a headcase?



http://www.independent.ie/world-news/africa/irishman-gets-crash-course-in-warfare-after-joining-rebels-2836774.html

Fair fucks to him.

Latchy

Standard Toaster wrote: »

Seems like there's a few hardened snipers on boards.

The sheep used to be freaked out everytime they saw me coming onto firing range :pac:

arybvtcw0eolkf

Nodin wrote: »

Fair fucks to him.

+1 - indeed Nodin.

He's doing what he feels is right, he could have stayed at home bitching online but decided to get his hands dirty.. I respect that.

Ship's are safest in the harbour, but thats not what ships are built for!.

Good luck to the lad.

Standard Toaster

Hope someone told him there's no re-spawn in Libya.

bullpost

Ah in fairness to him when there are bullets whizzing past your ear you are probably going to fall back on any belief system you had, no matter how dormant.

biko wrote: »

Seems he's getting religion too.
I really hope that Arab Spring means that the dictator is ousted and will not be replaced by the Muslim Brotherhood but by secular democratic parties.

CorkMan

G'WAN YA GOOD THING.

Norwayviking

ringadingding wrote: »

Maybe he will be the new vasily zaytsev........:)

i doubt it,and he will never be anywhere near this man.;)
White death was his nickname

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4

Latchy

super_furry wrote: »

Fair play to him and it's far from unprecedented. Just look at all the Irishmen who fought on both sides in the Spanish Civil war.

No indeed ,many Irishmen have being joining other armys for a long time now , the British army springs to mind .

Biggins

I say fair play to him for getting up and trying to make a difference.
If only it happened with more back here in Ireland!

I wish him every success.

Guill

Biggins wrote: »

I say fair play to him for getting up and trying to make a difference.
If only it happened with more back here in Ireland!

I wish him every success.

We go and fight for Lybia?

Biggins

Guill wrote: »

We go and fight for Libya?

DOH!

...Swish...Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

...I think something just flew over your head!

Guill

Biggins wrote: »

DOH!

...Swish...Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

...I think something just flew over your head!

I think you'll find it flew over your head.