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Uprising in Saudi Arabia
An extraordinary level of political violence in the tiny city of Sakaka, the capital of a remote province bordering Iraq, has the makings of the beginning of a popular revolution against the ruling al-Saud family. Residents of al-Jouf province say recent months have seen the assassination of the deputy governor and the execution-style killing of Sakakaâs police chief by a group of men who forced their way into his home. Earlier, the regionâs top Shariah, or religious law, court judge was shot at point-blank range as he drove to work. Seven men have been arrested for involvement in the shootings, according to Saudi officials, who say the attacks are linked and that the suspects may have had as many as 40 accomplices. ... A Saudi who talked to the Qatar-based satellite-TV station Al Jazeera about suppression and growing instability in the kingdom in September was arrested live on the air, but before he was dragged away, he managed to say what is never heard from any Saudi media outlet. Abdul Aziz al-Tayyar told Al Jazeera by telephone that Saudi security forces had surrounded his home in Riyadh and were preparing to storm the house. As his door was being kicked in, Mr. al-Tayyar used his last minutes of freedom to tell millions of viewers that "all tribesmen are now willing to fight this government... We will protect the rights of our people." Posted by: Former CNN Watcher 2004-01-26 |
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