Kareem Saïd

Kareem Saïd (pronounced sai-EED) is a fictional character played by British actor Eamonn Walker on the American television show Oz.

Saïd is one of the most powerful prisoners in Oz with considerable influence and control of a large portion of the inmate population and outside prison with ties to community leaders and media contacts.

Prisoner #97S444. Convicted June 6, 1997 – Arson in the second degree. Sentence: 18 years, eligible for parole in five. Later, found not guilty of one count of murder in the first degree, and pled guilty to two counts of attempted murder and sentenced to an unknown period of time.

Saïd (born Goodson Truman) is a devout Muslim and Black nationalist who was imprisoned for blowing up a white owned warehouse. Saïd immediately took charge of the Muslim prisoners, who sometimes chafed at both his extreme moral code and his apparent violations of those same standards. Saïd is sometimes confused to be a member of the Nation of Islam. However, this indeed is not the case. In season 4 in one of his classes Saïd states "Muhammad the last prophet of Allah", which is contradictory to the Nation of Islam's beliefs. Furthermore, Nation of Islam members do not wear kufis or Tasbih, whereas Saïd and the other Muslims in Oz do.

Saïd is one of the most powerful prisoners in Oz with considerable influence and control of a large portion of the inmate population. Saïd is also a very powerful figure outside of prison with a network of fellow Muslim leaders, a large political influence and numerous contacts in the media. Saïd and the other Muslims renounce themselves from smoking, alcohol, foul language, abnormal sex, drug smuggling, and drug use, because these things strongly violate their religion.

Upon his arrival in Oz, Saïd takes control of the Muslim group, making himself one of the most powerful prisoners, held in high regard by the 78% majority of non-white prisoners. He is immediately viewed as a threat by the Aryan Brotherhood, Italian Mafia, and the black gangsters. The Homeboys, who sell drugs, oppose Saïd's moral prohibition against drugs. Saïd is not intimidated and one of his fellow Muslims (at Saïd's insistence) repeatedly punches him in the head to prove himself tough in front of the Homeboys' leader, Jefferson Keane. When he is diagnosed with a heart problem, fellow Muslim inmate, Huseni Mershah, who opposes Saïd's philosophy of non-violence, allows him to have a heart attack so that he may take control of the Muslims. Saïd exposes Mershah, and casts him out. Mershah attempts revenge by telling Warden Leo Glynn and unit manager Tim McManus that Saïd is stockpiling weapons and planning a riot. Glynn orders a shakedown. All the inmates who are found with drugs or weapons blame Mershah, and he commits suicide in protective custody.

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