EFL:
Saudi Arabia's top cleric said on Thursday the people behind a suicide car bombing in Riyadh would "burn in hell" for killing innocent Muslims in the attack, which a militant group linked to al Qaeda said it carried out.
"God has promised wrath, damnation, painful torture and an eternity burning in hell for he who deliberately kills a Muslim... Unjustly killing a Muslim is the gravest crime which cannot be atoned," said the kingdom's highest religious authority, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh. "I tell all Muslims that this act is a sin, it is one of the greatest sins," he said in a statement. "Aiding, calling for, or facilitating the murder of a Muslim is tantamount to involvement in murder and all who do so will be thrown by God into the flames of hell, for so dear is the sanctity of Muslim blood."
| "Unless they're working with infidels, in which case it's your duty to kill them." |
Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally and the birthplace of Islam, has been locked in a bitter conflict with militants linked to al Qaeda which has vowed to fight the United States and "ungodly" Saudi rulers it says are U.S. agents. In its claim, Al Haramain Brigades said it followed the path of bin Laden and al Qaeda against the Saudi authorities.
| But there's no clear link between them, even though they say they are following him, see. |
"This bombing completely destroyed the targeted building and killed and injured dozens of soldiers and commanders of the criminal, apostate mechanism which is fighting God, his prophet and the faithful," the group said in a statement published on two Islamist Web sites. "This operation which broke your backs, you tyrants, is but one shade of the many shades of pain which we will make you taste, God willing, and revenge by bombings and assassinations and other means shall not stop," it added.
| Islamic Smackdown IV- Desert Death Duel. Popcorn, anyone? |
Saudi dailies condemned the attack as ultimate betrayal of the country, showing pictures of the wounded and the wrecked building. "Yesterday's terrorist operation exposed the falseness of their (militants') slogans. They started by targeting civilians and today they are moving to betray the guardians of national security who are all Muslim citizens," al-Watan said.
| "How dare they attack the Master Race!" |
| It's an easy mistake to make. |
Some analysts have said public support for militants had fallen from a silent but substantial majority in the 1990s when bombers struck U.S. military targets in the Gulf state, to a small minority after last year's attacks killed mostly Arabs. "This is the epitome of betrayal and disavowal of the principles of religion, humanity and nationalism," al-Riyadh said.
| Killing Americans = Good. Killing Saudis = Bad. Tap...nope. |
Saudis on the streets of the capital expressed shock at the devastating attack. "Those are criminals and I spurn everything these people believe in whatever it may be," said Nasser Huweishel, a trader.
| "I certainly hope they receive a very stern talking to, just like last time..." |
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