The spokesman for the Saudi Embassy in the US has said that the Consulate in New York has assigned a lawyer to represent Saudi student Abdulsalam Al-Zahrani, accused of murdering Binghamton University Professor of Anthropology Richard Antoun last Friday. Spokesman Nail Al-Jubair said an embassy representative was due to meet with 46-year-old Al-Zahrani before the end of the week and that no statement would be issued until the full details of the case were known. Authorities in New York, he said, informed the embassy Tuesday that Al-Zahrani had been charged with second degree murder crime. According to Al-Jubair, the consulate had yet to receive contact from Al-Zahrani's family in the Kingdom, but said he was surprised at the presence of a 46-year-old Saudi student in the US. “Such a situation is uncommon, most students are in their twenties,” Al-Jubair said. US authorities are reportedly due to post contact numbers on the Binghamton University website through which persons with information about the accused or the victim may contact local police investigating the crime. Binghamton University President Lois DeFleur issued a statement describing the incident as the only crime in the history of the institution which, she said, had an exemplary safety record. Al-Zahrani is accused of repeatedly stabbing Antoun whom he knew well in their academic relationship.
