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هذه قصة صاحب الموقع :
My experience started in September of 2004 when I was shown a book and invited on a trip there. The book is an Oman book titled STONE TREASURES OF THE OMAN DESERT. It’s a guide on where to go to find certain rocks and different types of rocks to dig and collect in Oman. It not only has specific locations but pointers on making jewelry and displays for collecting them. I at the time being couched by my better half wanting assurances I would be safe and not in violations of any laws there. We did extensive internet searches and I actually called the American Embassy in Muscat and had a nice chat with a consoler. I inquired about rock hunting and safety of an American tourist. I was assured there were no laws pertaining rock collecting or at least none known and it was a very safe place to travel and enjoy. So I booked my flight with a local travel agent. I flew out of Phoenix the end of October 2004 and spent three weeks with my friends Ivan and Youri.

We rented 4wheel drive vehicles and traveled the country. Doing some camping and staying in available hotels while traveling. There was a customs search of my luggage both in and out of the SEEB airport in Muscat. The customs officials asked question on some of my gear. Particularly the metal detector I carried. I explained to them what it was and how it worked and what my intentions were with it. On departure at the end of our trip I also showed the rocks I had collected. There reply was it was OK! Using there famous Omani saying NO PROBLEM. I really enjoyed my trip there and I had a lot of fun with my Russian friends.

In February 2005 Ivan, Kasper and I discussed another trip to beautiful Oman. Kasper had the same reservations as I about traveling in that part of the world. But we assured him that it was very safe and used those famous Omani words. NO PROBLEM.

So again I booked my flight. Ivan had a few friends who wanted to join us and were invited. Kasper had a prior commitment to act as a geological tour guide in his home country Germany and our dates were set to his schedule. We emailed several car rental places in Muscat trying to reserve 4wheel drive vehicles but never received replies. We went thinking we wouldn’t have a problem getting them once there. Well it turned out there were none available so we spent our first three days calling around from our hotel room looking for 4 wheel drive vehicles. On the fourth day, March 16 we were able to rent two trucks which was enough to get us to Salalah were there were four more available.

Off we headed too Salalah. Salalah is a gorgeous small community on the southern end of the country. It’s a drive of approximately 1000 kilometers from Muscat to Salalah by main highway.

There on March 17 we rented the other four vehicles and the nine of us were split into groups for traveling. Each vehicle was given or had a two way radio and GPS so no one would get lost or could call for help if stuck or broke down. The radios were about two-mile capability in line of sight. The radios and GPS’s were also questioned and okayed by the customs agent upon entering the country. It amazes me about the radios that there would even be a concern about these since in most countries they are available as a child’s toys. We secured many supplies from local merchants and headed of sightseeing and rock hounding. Spending many nights camped under the stars and almost as many nights in small town hotels .On the evening of March 30 we made camp in the Ghubara region. Well away from the roads or oil works.

About 9:00 pm two vehicles approached our camp at a very high rate of speed. Once there they were in a very intimidating way and not familiar with any languages we speak demanded something. We tried to calm them down and co-operated as best we could with the language barrier. We showed them our passports and vehicle rental agreements. Invited them for coffee or tea, but they left about as fast as they arrived. We were cooking nine chickens we had purchased in Al Haima on our fire and they were welcome to some but they weren’t cooked at the time of there brief visit. By 10:30 in the evening our group was retired for the evening.

At 1:30 am the morning of March 31 I was waken by the sound of trucks heading towards our camp at a very high rate of speed. I sat up and was blinded by the approaching headlights. I stood up so I wouldn’t get run over by the idiots approaching camp. Low and behold it was a couple of the visitors we had earlier. Ironically a couple of our group didn’t like to sleep near our camp. They wander off into the desert to find a soft sandy low spot to make their bed and sleep. Luckily none of those guys or any other from our group was run over by these guys.

I tried to talk to these intruders but communication was poor at best. They wanted me to wake everyone. I was told there were bombs or landmines in the area and we weren’t safe. I assured them we were just fine but one of the men insisted we load up camp and follow them. So everyone was woken up and our camping equipment was loaded hap hazzardly into trucks and we were escorted to some buildings off in the distance. The buildings were in a fortress type configuration and we were brought in the main gate and told to park in an area in front of some buildings which we were shown around and told to make ourselves at home. We were given directions to the shower and toilet facilities. The large room we were given had a pool table and tennis table along with a television and cable and best of all nice soft pillows for sleeping.

Later that morning we were given pourage and dates for breakfast and the interrogations began. Kasper was the first interrogated then Ivan then Kasper again. All the time our cell phones were inoperable. They along with I asked for a call to our Embassy’s but were not allowed to make any calls. I was next for the question session we were all very open about what we were doing and inquired as if we had done something wrong. But we were never given an answer one way or another. These fellows were pretty cleaver in that when they wanted you to answer a question they were pretty good a speaking English. But when I asked a question they seamed as though I couldn’t speak English. We all told them of our experiences and were we had been and what we were doing.

I was constantly questioned about our trip to Al Duqm. I told them the only reason we had gone there was the diesel shortage their country was having. That we were almost out of diesel and it wasn’t much fun pushing diesel trucks through the desert. After Kasper, Ivan and My interrogation they ransacked our trucks. Taking out almost everything we had in them. Making nice piles of our gear, suitcases and rocks on the parking lot and demanding we stand next to our pile and point at it. While our pictures were taken. We were treated like criminals yet no would tell us if or what we had done wrong.

That evening around 5:00 pm we were told to drive our vehicles single file behind a lead truck and so we did. As we approached the main highway to head to Al Haima we were stopped. This is were a fellow named Halil walked from truck to truck and collected and kept our cell phones. We hit the main highway about sundown and followed the lead car to the police station at Al Haima. There we were given food and sat in an office for a couple hours then taken to some sleeping quarters where we slept.

We were woken early the morning of April 2nd and taken by bus to Muscat. These guys had the gall to ask us to transfer fuel from our gerry cans to the trucks. We again asked what we did wrong with no answer. So we told them to do it themselves. We didn’t want to ride in the back of a bus with guys smelling like gasoline or diesel. That seemed to cause the police a lot of confusion.

We sat there for a couple hours while they discussed their strategy (I can only assume that none of them wanted to suck on the siphon hose)!! It was one of the funniest moments of our trip watching the Royal Omani Police arguing over which one of them was going to suck the fuel hose. I guess there were no volunteers so we headed to the petrol station where the vehicles were fueled.

The bus ride to Muscat was long and uneventful. But there was one of my Russian comrades who either didn’t understand the orders given about giving up our cell phones or he ignored the command. While on route to Muscat while near cell towers he placed a call in the back of the bus. He called one of the Russian fellows’ fathers who is a Russian Politician.

To this day I’m convinced if that call wasn’t made we all would probably still be in prison in Muscat.

We arrived in Muscat and were taken to the Royal Oman Police headquarters in Qurm (Muscat). There again our trucks were parked and ransacked. We were taken to a large conference room. Most of our belongings, gear and rocks were brought in and we again were interrogated. As if we had not told them what we were doing.

Again we asked to call our embassies and enquired what we had done wrong. It was like talking to deaf people. At least we finally got to meet the ringleader Dr Salim Al Buisaidi. I don’t know what else these people wanted from us but I think they thought there was more to the story? Ivan and I got to briefly talk to this fellow. He requested that the items not be mixed especially the meteorites when Ivan was instructed to open boxes and suitcases. His conversation with Ivan was that they would have more time to speak. His conversation with me was a little more intimidating. He was demanding info on our last trip and wanted to know where our collection of rocks was from our last trip. Telling me he would have their or our embassy at my home to collect them. Through a bunch of theatrics and more interrogations we were then taken to prison. I went to one were there was no bedding, blankets or towels of any kind. Kasper went to a different prison. And the Russians were split into three groups 2, 2, and 3 and sent into three different prisons. All the while asking for a phone calls to our embassies.

For those who would wonder what an Omani prison is like all I can say is the American prison system is more like a hotel visit. I would more compare it to a modern version of the prison in the movie "Midnight Express." I was immediately a celebrity in there and it seemed as if all the poor bastards in there wanted to talk to the American in jail. I felt pretty foolish telling them I was there for rock hunting and I think they all thought I was fibbing or lying to them. But I assured them it was the truth. It seemed like everyone who could speak English wanted to stay up and talk. I was really having some withdrawals from my smoking and coffee habits and all I wanted to do was sleep. I found the people who were in that prison quite nice and very curious about Americans. There was a lot of graffiti on the walls that seemed to portray other sentiments about Americans. But I found that group of prisoners to be quite nice and I wish them all the best.

April 3rd in the afternoon I was summoned by some fellow inmates and told to gather my things because they were releasing me. I went to the gate and was taken out. My bag was no longer at the front office. I was taken by 2 fellows back to the police station.The fellows that couldn’t speak any English were given a Russian translator and ask lots of questions in individual sessions. We were then taken back to the same different prisoners. The prisoners couldn’t believe I was back. April 4th sometime in the afternoon I again was summoned to the gate entry and was told to gather my stuff ( bar of soap, tooth brush and psoriasis medication) When I got outside there was a small van with a locking side door. As I neared the van I could hear my friends yelling my name. We all crowded in that dink van and headed back to the police station. This time we were brought in through a small back door and lead through a paved courtyard. We were back in the office were our money and wallets were held and they were given back to us. We were then finger printed and our mug shots were taken. First there was the German Embassy consul. Then arrived the Russian Embassy consoler and finally like the Calvary the American Embassy consoler Wesley arrived. It was almost as if I weren’t quite awake because of no caffeine or smokes and was kind of in a sleep. Oddly when Wesley asked them what our charges were or why we were arrested? They became enraged and told him to shut up or he would be either arrested or escorted out. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing but he got just about the same answer we had got. ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING.

Wesley and I had a brief talk outside the police station. He told me that he had just found out about my arrest and hurried to the police station. He assured me the Omani judicial system was fair and just. He gave me the basics of how their court system works and that we will be allowed to address our accusers and their isn’t a jury but three judges that will rule on the case once everyone is heard. He also gave me at that time a listing of all the lawyers that our Embassy had experience with or were capable of translation into English. Kasper, the Russians and I left the police station with absolutely no documentation and no passport. We were allowed to dig through the trucks for anything left of our personal effects, mostly our clothes and sleeping bags was the only thing left. They kept all our cameras, Ivan’s two lap top computers, cash, checks and lots of personal documents left in his suitcase, our GPS units, radios, metal detectors, flashlights, binoculars, tire compressors, tow straps and anything else this pack of thieves wanted.

As we were digging though the trucks the gentleman who we had rented the trucks from in Muscat showed up to retrieve his trucks that we had paid for thru the 15th of April. Apparently the police called him so we wouldn’t get far? So we cleaned them out as best we could in the police parking lot and were presented a bill for cleaning and minor damages (some of the damage the police caused while driving them on the way to Muscat). But I paid it in full.

We were driven to the Asas Oman hotel where we secured the hotels largest royal suite available. Thinking we would only be there a few days while this mess was ironed out. I stayed in touch with my embassy on a basis if I got any news. The whole time I was there I only received one call from them and it was a fellow named Chris who introduced himself and gave me his cell number incase I had any problems and couldn’t reach Wesley. They were good about calling me back though.

The German consul advised Kasper he would be on a plane within a couple days and booked a ticket for him. The Russian consoler Dmitri was a real delight and was paying us visits on a regular basis. It seemed like he was the only one who really worked on our behalf on a daily basis.

Our first bit of unofficial news from the consulates was that there were many errors made in our apprehension. That there may have been some laws or treaty violations by them. The police were unaware of and were searching for laws we may have broken? Since they were unfamiliar with and had no prior experience with rock hounding laws this may take some time for officials to figure out what to do. Ivan having talked with Dr Salem at the police station agreed to take him to a place outside of Salalah were there was a lot of space rocks he was interested in retrieving. So the next day April 5th a flight was booked leaving Muscat at 11:00 and it was agreed that Ivan would meet them at the airport and go there to show them the rocks .Ivan was awake early and his first stop was the police station were he was asked to sort the rocks after the Oman police had mixed them up. From there Ivan took a cab to the airport to catch his flight and another fellow was there named Halil. But no Dr Salem they waited and finally 20 minutes before departure the Dr arrived. Ivan said it was like in a movie the Dr was told he was too late to get a boarding pass and catch the scheduled flight . He was acting like a crazy man running around the airport demanding to get on the plane . But to no avail they had to wait for until 3:00 pm for the next flight.

While in Salalah Ivan paid the bill for the rental trucks ,purchased some magin (camel meat) and got a hair cut and shave. He didn’t look like the same old cute Ivan when he returned on April 6th.

On April 7th Ivan called the Dr to set an appointment for Ivan and I at the Dr. Salem’s office at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on the 10th of April. The appointment on April 10th was quite nice and Dr Salem was at that time quite cordial. Ivan gave then copies in floppy discs of all pertaining files to there inquiries off of his computers. We also went through some of the photos on on his computer from this trip explained our experiences and finds and what we thought of them. One of the photos was a picture of something we asked him about . There was one evening prior to our arrest were we had camped in the desert and Kasper made an unusual find right near camp. It was a rock about the size of a basket ball but somewhat oblong. It was a piece of terrestrial basalt. What was unusual about it was there was a grove about two inches wide cut around it in it’s girth for a rope to be tied to it. We all sat around the campfire discussing what it was. My first thought was an ancient boat anchor but we were at least 200 miles from any water. So on we pondered until I figured it out, just what this curious stone was. A camel brake, for runaway camels. I had to explain it to the guys who couldn’t speak English:

If you're out in the desert and your riding your camel and it starts to go crazy and chase another camel or it sees a mirage off in the distance and start to run for it . You just apply the camel brake by throwing the rock off the camel. Off course the other end is tied around the camels neck or it’s testicles! I know if I were a camel I would stop pretty quick !! Well we all took pictures of it and left it where we found it. The doctor and the other fellows in the room thought that rock may have been a tent anchor or something else. Towards the end of our visit I asked him if he knew what we were being charged with and what was going on ? His reply was it was a police matter and we should inquire with them. His departing words to Ivan were that he was going to Johannesburg, South Africa for a week and hoped to see him when he got back.

So the following day April 11th Ivan and I walked up to the police station to inquire. We were turned away and told shorts was not allowed . We walked back to our hotel put on some long pants and walked back up. We asked to speak to inspector Drackma. After a major runaround one of the thieves from the band came out and we inquired as to what was going on are we going to be charged or not, and about getting our passports and gear back? His reply was it will happen THESE days. Now this guy spoke real good English before !! I inquired what THESE DAYS means. All he would say was THESE DAYS.

I told him that some of our friends were suffering hardships because their families were worried and they were the sources of income for their families. He told me to write a letter to the ministry of foreign affairs. So I did. It was never acknowledged or replied.

On April 12th we were told by one of the consulates that they were charging us but this was all unofficial . He also advised us they had made many legal errors in our arrest. But that the police had no experience in trying to prosecute under these laws and it would require some time for them to figure out what they were actually going to do.

April 16th the Russian consular came to our apartment with gifts and a law that was faxed to him from the Ministry of Foreign affairs. The law was a law about national heritage and archeological references. The law is the Royal Decree number 6/80 he gave us a translation and we were later given a written translation by the German Embassy. It made absolutely no sense to any of us and said nothing about rocks or rock collecting.

April 19th The Russian consular again came to our apartment with more gifts. This time his news was good and that the unofficial word was that they were dropping all charges against us.

April 22nd one of the Russian fellows grandmother had passed away and we received a visit from 2 of the Russian consolers. We at that time received more unofficial news. We were told that the paperwork on our case was sent back to the location of our arrest. That they were going to charged us and that we would receive some paper work from them in the next couple days either that following Sunday or Monday.

That evening we all had a discussion about retaining an attorney for our defense . But it’s pretty difficult to retain an attorney since we still didn’t know what or if we were going to be charged and what with? Later that evening I received a call from the American consul. He told me that it was unofficial but that he heard we were going to be charged with three separate charges. Theft of government property, importing metal detectors without approval and a visa violation! The visa violation was something about having a work visa instead of tourist visa. I called my attorney in the states that night (morning in America) also and told him the unofficial report.

April 24th and 25th, that Sunday and Monday came and went. No news — good, bad or otherwise

April 26th my birthday. I turned 54 years old in Oman, I invited all my captive friends to a night on the town. Where else are they going to go? I took them to the Crowne Plaza hotel for a nice steak dinner and a glass of beer. Well it turned out to be a nice dinner five bottles of vodka a couple rounds of beer, wine and whiskey. $850 dollars later there were three Russians who lost their dinner on the way to or in our hotel room. One of them Captain Max (named Captain because he has a sailboat in Russia). Apparently got sea sick walking home from the Crowne Plaza hotel and rolled down a hill and into a ditch. He was all scuffed up the next day. The daily housekeepers were very nice, friendly and very understanding.

April 30th we received good news from the Russian Consulate. Again it was unofficial but we would be free pretty soon!

May 1st was the day Russians celebrate Easter. Easter morning is a week after it’s celebrated in America it’s celebrated in Russia. That morning we got a visit from the Russian consul, his lovely wife and daughter. They brought us colored hard boiled eggs and a cake to our hotel room and spent a few hours visiting with us.

May 2nd was Kasper’s birthday so to celebrate we went to a nearby restaurant and bar and had a light meal with a round of beers and a bottle or two of vodka. This hotel was amazing there was a sunken dinning room with a raised runway up the middle. Set up with a portable organ at the end of the stage. We all ate some food and started to get some drinks as the place started to fill up. All of a sudden the music started and four Arabic gals dressed like well dressed American women came on stage. They were dressed in dresses and slacks and basically stood in the runway and shook to the beat of the music. I guess that’s an Arabic strip show were the woman reveal their faces?

May 3rd we were instructed by the Russian consulate to book airline flights out of the country leaving between May 9 and 11. We were instructed that a reservation was not acceptable the police wanted actual hard tickets. We were all quite skeptical and apprehensive about purchasing tickets and not being allowed to leave or use them. We were told at that time that he thought we were being deported.

May 7th we went to the police station and were finger and palm printed six times each. Along with a photo of our faces was taken. All of us had representation from our perspective Embassy’s with us. The Embassy’s were told in advance that we would receive or have to sign documents. But we were told absolutely nothing received absolutely nothing and signed nothing.

May 8th we again were told to report to the police station we did again we were told nothing but that we needed hard copy airline tickets out of the country. At around 12:00 we headed in different directions to purchase our airline tickets and return with them in hand by 2:30 pm so we did. The tickets were turned over to the police station and we left for our hotel.

May 9th at 12:00 we received a call from the Russian embassy that he was faxed a document and instructed to give it to the concerning parties. He showed up at our hotel at about 2:30 pm with four copies of the document in Arabic and copies of a document in Russian for an excuse to their employers as to our detention. He told us basically what it said in a ruff translation. He was shocked and so were we. Earlier in the day I had talked with a local attorney and told him what we thought was going on. I asked him if I could chat with him briefly in the afternoon about representing us once we were out of the country. He advised me they were closed for lunch from 2:00 to 3:00 pm but he would be available till 6:00 pm.

The Russian consul left by 3:00 and Ivan and I immediately caught a cab to the attorney's office. There we had a brief chat, showed him the document were he was explaining to us what it meant and what was going on. He was in amazement of our story and we agreed to fax or email him a copy of the document once we were all out of the country safely. Five of us were to fly out of Seeb international airport within an hour of each other around midnight so the five of us traveled to the airport together. The remaining four guys were to fly out the following evening. Ivan and I flew to London and we had a six-hour layover to catch the flight to Phoenix. While in Heathrow airport London Ivan received a text message that the other four guys had caught their flight to Dubai and were safely out of that hell hole!!