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Subscribe to RSSRIYADH -- A Saudi soldier was shot dead patrolling an area populated by minority Shiite Muslims late on Friday, the Interior Ministry said, and one of the gunmen was killed in the ensuing shoot-out.
The deaths bring to 11 the number of people killed in the Qatif area since November in protests by members of Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority over what they see as entrenched discrimination.
"A security patrol was exposed to heavy fire from four armed rioters on motorbikes when pausing at a street intersection in Qatif," state news agency SPA reported, quoting Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour Turki.
Turki said the gunmen had been arrested after an exchange of fire in which one of them was killed, and said another man suffering a bullet injury had been arrested at the hospital.
He added that the incident, which happened at 11 pm on Friday evening, had led to the death of one soldier, named as Hussein Bawah Ali Zabani, and the wounding of another, named as Saad Miteb Mohammed al-Shammari, whom he said was taken to hospital.
Heretical?
Saudi Shiites mostly live in the Eastern Province, also home to the kingdom's oil industry, and complain they lack access to government jobs, education and full rights of worship, charges the government denies.
The world's top oil exporter follows the conservative Wahhabi school of Islam, which regards Shiism as heretical.
Protests broke out in Qatif last year when Saudi troops were invited by the government of neighboring Bahrain to help its Sunni royal family quash a popular uprising by the Shi'ite majority.
Last month a new round of protests ended with three deaths after police arrested and injured a firebrand Shiite cleric, Nimr al-Nimr, who had preached sermons urging demonstrations against the government.
Ten of the 11 people to have died in Qatif demonstrations since late last year were young Shiite men, killed in what Saudi Arabia said were exchanges of fire, but which local activists described as peaceful protests.
Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have both accused Shi'ite regional power Iran of fomenting the unrest among members of the sect in both countries, which Tehran denies.
The Interior Ministry in January issued a list of 23 residents of the area who it said were responsible for attacks on security forces, acting at the behest of "a foreign power", widely understood to mean Iran.
Shi'ites in Qatif, who often raise the Bahraini flag in shows of solidarity with their co-religionists in the tiny Gulf Arab country, have repeatedly said the protests are not organized by Iran.
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"home to much of the kingdom's Shiite minority, which has been protesting against what they see as entrenched discrimination in the mainly Sunni country."
Autocratic, despotic, highly corrupt, bigoted seventh century desert mindset Sunni Saudi ruler with his 5000 princes and princeses treat Shiites, women and other minorities like slaves.
These one-way traffic bigoted Sunni barbarians don't permit Bibles and churches or other religious places. But they have funded hate preaching and killer training Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques all over the world in non-Muslim nations.
Due to Iraqi wars and high oil price manipulations, they became rich.
What a bunch of ungrateful backstabbers these bunch of Sunni rulers are!
If atrocities and barbarism on girls, children and women are the criteria, then Sunni Saudi, Kuwaiti, UAE and other Arab League Sunni rulers and their rich sheiks are the biggest culprits in the history.
Through the Muslim immoral trafficking gangs, these barbarians have assembled all varieties of poor and helpless girls and women from all over the world in their harems and brothels.
In killing of opponents including other sect Muslims, they and their proxies with different labels like al-Qaida, MB, Taliban and others have established world records. Look at Bahrain, Mali, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other places.
Fountainheads of 80 percent of world problems due to Sunni Islamic radicals and terrorists are Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
British invented them and have kept them on the map.
For solving most of the world problems, if any nations deserve to be wiped out of the map, these two international liabilities deserve it.
I lived and worked in Saudi- the rulers have donemore in the last 20 years developing education building hospitals and genrally taking care of all Saudi citizens- the Kings have had a hard row trying to appease the exteme religious sects while still advancing towards a democracy- so I must tend to disagree with you- however if you have substantiated facts to back up your statements please provide
Note that the Saudi "rulers" had also built and funded the "religious" schools which produced most of the 911 hijackers------just wanted to mention another one of their "accomplishments".
A few beheadings should take care of that.
Where is Bush II when the country needs him? "Operation Saudi Freedom." We could invade and conquer Saudi Arabia, where the real oil is! But let's not confuse the issue any more, 911 hijackers were Saudi and from Saudi Arabia and used Saudi money. Something Bush II never did understand.
odb2: Could you take non-Islamic religious holy books like Bible there?
Did you have many rights and freedom in SA? Can you ever become a citizen in most of the nations including SA?
After Saddam overran the brave Kuwaiti ruler with 65 wives and his kingdom in 1991, the US stationed NATO forces to save the ungrateful and backstabbing Saudi ruler and his gangsters of princes, princesses, mullahs, rich sharks and their chosen few.
Were they permitted to have Bibles or pray in private?
Sunni gang raped a Shiite woman.
The "great" and "fair" Saudi Sharia laws let off the Sunni rapists and punished the Shiite woman!
Have you heard of such justice in 21st century?
Are the Shiites not treated as slaves?
If this is the fate of another sect of Muslims, are not the conditions of non-Muslims worse?
Yeah couldn't care less about what happens in Saudi Barbaria
This is a country that is still debating if a women should be allowed to drive, religious pluralism, and the rights of minorities--- in today's world of China, India and Brazil! They are beyond backwards--- this is why, Israel, a small nation, beat them every time, BRAINS are stronger than brute force. They believe that they can buy everything, hospitals, doctors, etc --- hence, when it call collapses, no one will even know how a gun works, which I suspect this is the case today. The Saudis are disgusting despots that do more to spread hate and intolerance around the world than anything else, they are a cancer.
We don't need bibles and churches in Saudi 'Arabia, The Saudis often have several copies of the holy bible which they refer to as the BOOK in their private libraries. They revere Jesus as a holy prophet. Why can not the Christians accept the rights of other religions to exist. The same with the Muslims, the Sunni Shia thing reminds me a lot of the Catholic Protestant problems that were horrid in the 60s and 70s. Both are supposed to tolerate each other. The lot of the Woman in India is nothing to brag about. She must often start working at a very young age to start saving up her dowery for marriage, it is not unusual to see Indian women working in the Arab world trying to save up so they may marry. In higher castes it can be as much as 30 thousand us dollars to be paid to the husbands family, or a house, expensive car, etc. Ultra Sound Clinics run underground where families can determine the sex of the unborn and if that child happens to be female a abortion is quickly performed.
And Karen Britten, we don't need Islam in the US so, f'ck off you Muslim troll.
If they're so respectful of Christianity and other paths of faith then why don't they allow ANY houses of worship other than Islamic mosques in their country? What are they afraid of? Also, are you aware that Non-muslims are not even allowed to set foot in Medina or Mecca? That is because they view Non-muslims as so much pollution! That's the truth.
Pray Hard: You are right.
Most of the Muslims in non-Muslim nations are liabilities to societies and nations. They are real curses on them.
The contributions of the followers of Islamic cult since the birth of Islam have been negative to total devastations.
Why only the US, most non-Muslim nations don't want the Islamic religious Nazis' Trojan horses?
It is better if they all leave to their beloved Muslim nations; have Sharia laws; and enjoy the Sharia laws and rules.
We will be happier that major nuisances and inventors of problems are gone!
Remaining should all be kicked out without any mercy!
Turning this into an armed conflict is not a smart move to make. Saudi Arabia has plenty of fire power courtesy of their western overlords (U.S.); the smaller guys will lose.
Hope you know that brave Saudi soldiers and their religious warriors have plenty of fire power to crush girls, women, unarmed minorities and Shiites!
Bahrain is one example.
In 1990s, about 500 Shiites occupied the Sunni Muslims holy place Mecca/Medina. Brave Saudi soldiers could not dislodge them. Their seventh century dresses were only flying all around in the desert!
Then they took US "allies" Jordan and Pakistan's help to eliminate the Shiites!
If that is the case, where was the need to station US forces in Saudi Arabia against Saddam?
If the Saudis don't get Riyadh of these protesters, they will be in deep Shiite.
Good comment, Jonathan. Muslims males are always good at raping, maiming and killing women and children, especially in large groups. I swear! Ten or twenty heavily armed Muslim men CAN beat up a little girl or rape a little boy all by themselves!
To quote the article: "Saudi Arabia denies charges it discriminates against its Shiite minority."
What a lie. Every society that has "a minority" discriminates against that minority in some way or other. And a society, such as Saudi Arabia, that is so tangled up in its religious beliefs discriminates against other religious views in a permanent, 'god-sanctioned' manner.
@Jonathan-1982062
And just how well are Sunni minorities treated in Shiite dominated regimes?
The only differnence between radical Sunnis and radical Shiites is how many times they pray each day and whether or not the "helm" was passed on to "Mohammid's kin"--------that's it!!!!!!!!
Otherwise, they're both a menace to the civilized world!!!!!!!!!
"Otherwise, they're both a menace to the civilized world!!!!!!!!!"
The same civilized world that produced atheistic Communism, Nazism, and other "isms" that have nothing whatsoever to do with religion? Humans are quite capable of threatening the civilized world via political ideologies. Many living in politically "good" countries ignore the plight of those whom these ideologies oppress, and many others profit from this oppression. Apathy, greed, racism, bigotry, and other "niceties" exist in the civilized world too, and are as much a threat to the world as is religious fanaticism. (I can't add an exclamation point because you used them all. :)
How can a jihadi non-Muslim material like I disagree with you?
If Sunnis are 100 percent Islamic religious Nazis, Shiites are 80 percent.
I hope that all the non-Muslim infidels keep miles away from them.
My first rank goes to Sunni Saudi Arabia & co. Sunni Saudis and & co make a clean sweep of Oscars this year.
Next to win the Oscars are Iranian mullahs! May ba: next year they will have some chances!
These Shiites and Sunnis are battling on whose Allah is bigger?
So where do infidel non-Muslims like I fit?
blaming Iran probably justifys the US to sell them more weapons!
Amen. And on another note, for those out there bent on picking a fight with Iran, go get your heads examined. That ain't a broken, beaten-down military, like the Iraqis. And, Hezbollah is like al Qaida on steroids.
Personally, I think the Iranian government is wack, but the common citizens are consistantly polled as being way more pro-American, than our "Arab allies" in the ME. So sad to see Islamist racists taking over countries, like Egypt and Libya. Bet the Saudis have some back-room deals going regarding such.
What a shame their their tradition of religious intolerance and maintenance of a privileged ruling class is actually causing them social problems. Who could have possibly imagined?
Good thing it could never happen here.
NBC never misses an opportunity to turn a news article into a political diatribe. There is nothing "conservative" about the Wahhabi sect of Islam. They are Islamic supremists. They preach Sunni Islam uber alles. They desire world domination by Islam and an end to all religions other than their perverted version of Islam. They will kill as many Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Confucists, Jews, Atheists and non-radical Moslems as they can get their filthy hands on in order to subdue the rest of us into submission. Anyone who survives and does not convert to the Wahhabi ideology will be forced to serve them as slaves.
They rely heavily on the ignorance of their uninformed audience ... most people who are educated in the sociological makeup of the various regions around the world know that the terms "conservative" and "leftist" differ greatly from government to government, society to society.
It's not a "perverted version". It's Islam. The sooner we realize such, the better.
Could this be the Seed of a Saudi "arab Spring?" If so, it couldn't happen to a more deserving Demonically, Despotic Regime. "And the kingdoms of this world, become the Kingdoms of our GOD and of HIS King." Glory Be To GOD!And his Name is NOT allah, but YHWH or for the Saudis, "I AM, that I AM!"
The World is not a nice place to live in where everyone has their own agendas and ideas how everyone should live their lives. People have their Book of this and Book of that which tells them THEY are the rightful religion to believe in. The so called Good Book or written words by someone thousands of years ago and of course re-written with different ideas on what those words actually mean. If people could just live their life no matter what they believe in and not trod on others it would make the World a much better place to live in. They just can't because they want to impose their will upon everyone else and get up on that Soap Box and preach their vermin. Too bad there's not 99 different Earths where everyone could just go and practice that Earth's religion so they don't clash and enslave, murder one another "In The Name Of". We have enough hatred, bigotry and the Theology by the Human Race.
True. To quote Mark Twain, "Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion--several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn't straight."
Let the idiots kill each other.
What happens in Saudi Arabia affects your life here. If violence increases to the point that Western oil companies withdraw their workers, the price of oil will skyrocket. Have fun paying upwards of $5 a gallon.
The religion of peace? Oh, yeah. This is like saying the Methodists and Presbyterians had a rumble at McDonalds yesterday. Iran is intent on stirring the pot throughout the Mid-East. Time to bring back the Shah and put this foolishness to rest.
Saudi Arabia is a perfect example of what has become one of the most common phrase's of our democratic election process. Saudi Arabia, like the choice left to you on voteing day, is thought to be 'the lesser of two evil's' to deal with in the middle east.
While Saudi Arabia may love their alah's. They also love and enjoy their wealth and the many western toy's it has afforded them. You'll not see the favored of Saudi Arabia throwing it away in the name of any religion. Or upsetting their paradise oasis in the name of any God or prophet for a, take it on faith, promise of virgin's. While their true motivating profit allow's them a never ending quantity of all the virgin's their profit can supply.
So for no more reason than their embrace for the love of money and want of western toy's. Saudi Arabia will remain the closest thing to an ally in the ME. As long as they can keep their contempt of Israel in check. Their hatred of Iran thriving and naturally their well's don't run dry. The UN and the allies will over look their short coming's.
Short comings like the 911 attacks you mean? Yeah, just gotta overlook that I guess!
You're an idiot Leroy ...
It is hard to dispute that when those places were colonies of European powers, the peace was kept and murder and fear were largely held in check. Now these people wage bloody wars, tearing themselves apart along with uninvolved others over minutiae.
"The world's top oil exporter"... who was let off scot free for attacking America on her own soil you mean? Oooohhh yeah, THAT top oil exporter.
Please do elaborate Leroy ...
This is precisely why we must stop the UNCONTROLLED CAPITALISTIC GREED here at home! The corrupt Republican corporate MONARCHY has MADE SLAVES of the 99% American People BECAUSE OF THEIR UNCONTROLLED CAPITALISTIC GREED with NO END IN SIGHT!
99% American People vote 100% STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC and let's rid our selves of their corruption and take o ur American way of life back!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ... how old are you little boy, 8 or 9?
Jeez, what a blathering know-nothing half-wit ... typical M S N B C phsychotic.
Wherever Muslims form more than 15 percent, they want their own "stan" and Islamic Sharia Laws.
What a bunch of cowards Shiites are?
They talk big, act big and show their bravery before unarmed minorities like Jews, women and others. Then they add their dances when they stone them.
Shiites of Iraq should side with Kurds and should stop oil supplies to Turkey for supporting the Sunni Islamic extremists like al-Qaida, MB in Syria.
Shiites of Bahrain should overthrow their autocratic, corrupt and despotic Sunni ruler.
As they have been taking blows and killings by Sunnis, these Sunnis are able to act as they like to Shiites.
Shiites of Iran should side with Assad and see that all the Sunni rebels are eliminated.
What are the brave Hezbollah doing?
They should do suicide bombings in Mecca and Medina.
Or else Shiites genocides just like the genocides of non-Muslims by the Sunni Islamic religious Nazis will continue.
When Sunnis are doing jihad on Shiites (in Mali it is against poor singing and "love" and "peace" dancing Sufis), wherever Shiites form more than 10 percent they should launch liberation struggle to get their Shiastans.
They should start them from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iraq and other places.
I heard that holy month of Ramadan is the best time to start jihads including blowing up of mosques of other Muslim sects.
Why should only Sunnis have only monopoly here too?
There is a much greater Sunni threat inside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue ...
Panther Hunter: It will be all over within two decades right in the US! US will not be an exception.
So we have only two options: either keep away when they are battling or hit right at the source.
In Shiites vs Sunni battles, just enjoy them instead of deciding winners as we did by removing Saddam.
I was in Qatif in 1980 when the Saudi imperial guards were putting down yet another uprising there. Jeep mounted 50 cal. machine guns, buildings on fire and bodies in the streets---- so this is nothing new. It is just more difficult to keep a lid on the news now.
Barry's father and all of his extended family are Sunnis ... Barry's name is Hussein ... ONLY islamists are called Hussein ... the Moslem Brotherhood are Sunnis ... Barry has helped the Moslem Brotherhood / Al Qaeda (one of their many military arms) take over the governments of no fewer than 5 sovereign nations in the last 36 months, two of which have standing armies and billions of dollars of U.S. aid (Egypt) and billions of dollars of recently unfrozen assets (Libya) now controlled by his people ... Barry is his father's son ... Barry's father hated the United States and wanted to do whatever he could to destabilize America ... "Dreams of My Father".
You ignorant M S N B C parasites are so dumb, uneducated and uninformed, 99.99% of you have absolutely no idea about any of these realities ... hilarious!!
Yes Panther, only "educated" and "informed" people know that Obama is a muslim extremist who is out to destroy America.
Dang Leroy, no wonder you're so ignorant ... your reading comprehension is reprehensible and your imagination is woefully lacking.
What's hilarious is the fact that you are so dumb you honestly think one has to run around in full garb with and AK screaming alah-hackbar to be a moslem extremist.
A little tip for you junior, all moslems are extremists ... those that do not practice extremism are not following the koran and are considered apostate. The term "peaceful moslem" is about as foolish as saying "gay pastor" ... both may actually think they are what they claim to be but neither is possible under the confines of what they espouse to believe.
P.S. Barry has slipped up SEVERAL times on video saying he was a moslem ... he almost has it trained out of him now though ... he is one sharp fella to be sure; far more intellectually adept than his mind-numbingly ignorant base which is something he and his handlers have depended on from day one.
Geez Panther, not everyone can be as "educated" and "informed" as you are. A man of superior intellect like yourself should not go around calling people ignorant just because they are not brilliant like you. Don't be so mean smarty-pants!
You started it!
:-)
Just messing with you Leroy, I'm actually pretty dumb too ... the more I learn the more I realize how little I actually know!
Keep an eye on this one. If there is an Arab Spring movement against the theocratic government or a Syrian-style civil war, the price of oil will skyrocket and there may even be shortages around the world. With 18 percent of America's imported oil coming from Saudi Arabia, I wouldn't be surprised if U.S. boots are put on the ground over there.
Braw..they are already their. Also big base camp in Kuwait.
no amount of boots can quench the desire of a people for change ---ONCE IT COMES---- ones it gets going it develops a life of its own--- and they would have a LEGITIMATE complain as the Saudis are despotic whore mongers -- i mean, even the idea that a country be named after a family is absurd!
Sick state that is--- racist too.
I have posted it earlier. Let me repeat it.
If humans can go to moon, there is no problem in finding substitutes for oil.
Oil companies, auto companies andtheir lobbyists are throttling efforts to popularize substitutes for oil even now.
In 1920s, substitutes for oil were tried right in Detroit, Michigan. The efforts of entrepreneurs were throttled and bankrupted by the auto companies.
If the oil prices sky rocket, it will fasten the pace for popularizing substitutes for oil, which is inevitable with time.
Who do you tell one blood thirsty savage from another? Watch and see which mosque to go to?
... or you could just pay attention to the ones Barry supports!
if you know the difference between the Wahhabi , Shiite, Sunni or any other form of Islam its stupid. what are they fighting for. aren't they screwed up enough without fighting between one another. idiots
This is exactly what our solution to Iran should be, isolation and let them fight it out with the Saudis.
So Saudi Arabia is at peak production right now. What happens when they run out of oil?
When they run out of oil a terrible place will become an abominable place. They have no other means of income and a large population. War, famine, etc.
Exactly!
They go back to riding camels and living in caves...LITERALLY!
Who cares? They can pound sand and die by the millions. Given the chance and means, they'd kill all of us and destroy Western civilization in a week. So, f*ck 'em.
This is why religion poisons everything. Killing over what *kind* of Muslim you are. Sick, totally sick. And its all bronze age myths.
All religions are nothing but a virus of the mind.
How do you possibly get along with the other 90+% of the world's population?
Why would he possibly want to get along with 90% of the world's population? 90% of the world's population is made up of ignorant, superstitious stooges. Religion poisons everything and Islam is much worse than that. Keep posting, Chris!
TIK TOK TIK TOK TIK TOK --- the end is coming for the Saudis drunks and whoremongers---- and I like how they were invited by Bharain --- imagine if Syria invited the Russians or Iranians? The Saudis have been playing with fire for way too long, they will get burned --- only logical.