Re: [meteorite-list] A Message Concerning Oman

Sun, 15 May 2005 08:56:18 -0700 

Hi Bill,

I guess you didn't read the complete email from John. He said there is a grey area concerning the meteorite hunting laws in Oman. There have been many hunting/adventure trips to Oman by list members recovering meteorites. I understand this is the first time this has happened and it was nice of John to make everyone aware of the safety concerns etc. for fellow hunters, adventurers and meteorite enthusiasts. Unless you have spent time in the field hunting, discovering, and carefully documenting your finds then it may be hard for you to understand the passion of meteorite hunting that many of the list members enjoy.

Sonny



-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: JKGwilliam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: [email protected]
Sent: Sun, 15 May 2005 07:29:47 +0000
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] A Message Concerning Oman

I don't get it. Why didn't John B. take the time to understand the law in the
first place? The thrill of the hunt took precedence? If you consider all the ill
will between Muslim fundamentalists and the rest of the planet why bother
exploring that region. Should we call it greed, stupidity, disregard,
overzealousness or what.

Bill


-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: JKGwilliam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Hello List Members,
Fellow list member, John Blennert, has been experiencing problems
posting 
to this list so he has asked me to forward this message to you.

Best,
John Gwilliam
*****************************************************************
John Blennerts wrote:

Hello List Members,

Recently, there have been some rumors and speculation about a recent
event
involving some meteorite hunters being detained in Oman. To set the
record
straight, there were nine (9) of us involved in the recent incident
that
resulted in our arrest and detention in Oman . Included were six
(6)Russians , one (1) Latvian , one (1) German and one American (me)
. I
don't understand the laws under which we were held and deported . We
are
working on getting copies of the laws and translations listed on the
deportation documents we were given before leaving the country. It is
my
opinion and understanding that Oman currently does not have any laws
specifically prohibiting meteorite hunting and exporting, or at least
its a
very grey area in their current laws . But, certain recent events
made a
few individuals there very aware of the practices . We were arrested,
briefly jailed, then released without passports . All of our
gear, including items having nothing to do with meteorite hunting,
was
stolen and or confiscated. While there, our respective embassies
(Russian,
German and United States) assured us the Omani judicial system is
fair and
just and we will have our day in court there. Apparently instead of
charging us and going to court, the prosecution deemed us guilty,
closed
the case and deported us. It is our opinion that this was done in an
attempt to not create negative publicity about their treatment of
tourist 
which might injure their attempts to increase tourism.

This event has been a major financial and emotional hardship for my
friends
and myself, and we believe there may be grounds for litigation. We
are
currently exploring what options we might have and are proceeding
very
carefully. Having said that, we do not want to publicly discuss or
post 
any additional information on the subject .

I don't recommend visiting or hunting in Oman until this issue is
settled
and/or we have clarity of the current laws in Oman . If there are any
attorneys on the Meteorite List that are familiar with aspects of
international laws or treaties who might consider giving us pointers
or
guidance, we could really use the help! If you would like to offer
your
services pro bono or for a reasonable fee or possibly work on a
percentage 
basis, I can be reached off list at
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED] or you can call
collect in the evening (520)325-8585 .

Warmest Regards

John Blennert


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