A mere 48 hours after being awarded a prize for distinguished performance by the Ministry of Education in Taif, Abdullah Muhammad Al-Harthy, principal of Al-Khalil Bin Ahmed Private Secondary School, was stabbed several times in his hand by unknown assailants. Maj. Turki Al-Shehri, Taif Police spokesman, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that all assailants fled after the attack. “We're working on arresting the culprits,” he said. The incident took place when the individuals, driving two cars without license plates, overtook and stopped Al-Harthy's car at 10 A.M. Friday and attacked him with knives. They stabbed him several times and fled when the neighbors, who heard his shouts, came to his rescue. Shortly afterwards the police and the Saudi Red Crescent arrived on the scene. Al-Harthy was given initial treatment and then was taken to King Faisal Hospital here where he underwent an operation. Muhammad Saeed Abu Ras, Director of Education in Taif, his assistants and a number of colleagues visited Al-Harthy at the hospital. Abdullah Al-Zahrani, Director of Educational Media at the Taif Department of Education, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that his department was still waiting for the results of the investigation. “Al-Harthy is one of our distinguished principals and will be honored by the Minister of Education and Taif Department of Education. I wish him a speedy recovery,” he said. __
