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The campaign against Saudi preachers continues

September 14, 2017 at 5:31 am

Saudi cleric Idris Abkar and academic Ali Badahdah were arrested by the Kingdom in September 2017

Well-informed sources revealed that, today, the Saudi security arrested Saudi preachers including academic scholar Ali Badahdah, Idris Abkar as well as Khaled Al-Shannar, Adel Banaemah and Khalid Al-Mahewush.

There were also reports that claimed that preacher Nasser Al-Omar, Abdullah Sweilem among other preachers were equally arrested.

The arrests came under during a campaign that lasted for four successive days impacted about 27 Islamic scholars, preachers, writers, researchers and poets who are confirmed to be arrested by the Saudi security, since Sunday.

Over the past few days, Saudi authorities arrested Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Abdullatif, Aqidah (Islamic creed) professor, academic scholar and novelist Mustafa Al-Hassan, and poet Zied Bin Naheet, who is best known for praising Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The Saudi authorities have also arrested the economic researcher Issam Al-Zamel, the Sharia researcher, Abdullah Al-Maliki, Khalid bin Fahd Al-Awda, the brother of preacher Salman Al-Ouda, and two prominent preachers, Abd Al-Muhsin Al-Ahmad and Walid Al-Huwairini.

Read More: Saudi journalist denies Brotherhood membership

Other prominent preachers were also arrested: Salman Al-Ouda, Awad Al-Qarni, Yusuf Al-Ahmad, Ibrahim Al-Fares, Ibrahim Al-Nasser, Muhammad Al-Habdan, Gorom Al-Beshe, Mohammed bin Abdel Aziz Al-Khaderi, Al-Omari, Mohammed Musa Al-Shareef, Ibrahim Al-Harthi, Hassan Farhan Al-Maliki and Khaled Al-Ajimi.

The list of detainees also included the academic scholar Fahd Al-Sunaidy.

The Saudi authorities have not issued any comment that confirms or denies the arrest of these preachers and scholars.

A Twitter account under the name of “Prisoners of Conscience,” that details news of Saudi detainees, said that it expected more arrests soon.

On Sunday, the office of State Security said that it has been able to monitor intelligence activities of a group of people for the benefit of external parties against Saudi Arabia’s security, interests, approach, capabilities and social safety in order to stir up disorder and to sabotage the national unity.

The office of State Security also claimed that it has neutralised the danger they posed and arrested them. They are both Saudis and foreigners, and are being interrogated to find out the full facts about their activities and their associates.

According to observers, there are three reasons behind the campaign that the Saudi authorities have launched against Saudi preachers and intellectuals.

Sources informed the New Khalij that the campaign of arrests came as a reaction to these preachers’ rejection of the Royal Court orders to attack Qatar.