DUBAI - A Russian millionaire was killed in an alleged shootout, while another man was seriously injured in the incident that took place at the Burj Al Arab Hotel here in the small hours yesterday.
The victims, according to a hotel source, were guests. Unconfirmed reports said the millionaire was staying in one of the suites. Two men, known to him, entered his suite and shot him dead in the course of a drunken brawl, these reports said.
The victims, according to a hotel source, were guests. Unconfirmed reports said the millionaire was staying in one of the suites. Two men, known to him, entered his suite and shot him dead in the course of a drunken brawl, these reports said.
Rumours abound that this 'incident' was the result of a diamond deal with Russian gangsters gone wrong. Of course we all know better than to listen to crazy rumours. I mean, come on, Slavic Mafioso doing shady deals in the over-the-top surroundings of the Burj? Riiight, next thing you know it'll be stories about the construction of a Frank Gehry-designed, world's largest Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi or a giant Underwater Hotel next to Dubai's Palm Island developments. I rest my case.
What I find most remarkable about the whole story is that any of it actually made it into the local papers, unless of course the entire incident was devised by the Burj's PR department as a way to help up the hotel's reputation from its lowly status as the World-Famous 7 Star Hotel to the more desirable World's Only Infamous 7 Star Hotel. Hotel PR directors take notice - the bar has just been raised ...
Dave sez:
i told you to watch out for those sneaky russians
posted Tuesday October 03, 2006 at 11:18 PM EDT