Saudi Arabia to Question '12,000 Citizens'

[Pert_UK]

"Saudi Arabian authorities have embarked on a vast anti-terrorism operation in which up to 12,000 citizens will be questioned at the behest of the US, a Saudi opposition group has told the Guardian.

"The Saudi government is doing a full-scale sweeping activity," said Saad al-Fagih, of the London-based Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia...

One source put the number of names at 12,000. Others gave lower figures but all were well into the thousands. "There are strong signs that the number is 12,000," Mr Fagih said. "

Full story:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/saudi/story/0,11599,1019332,00.html

[laconicsax]

1. And the purge begins

at least in public.

[IraqPeaceTeam]

2. Saudi Arabia has opposition groups?

"Saudi Arabian authorities have embarked on a vast anti-terrorism operation in which up to 12,000 citizens will be questioned at the behest of the US, a Saudi opposition group has told the Guardian.

[snake1306]

3. The major Saudi opposition group

is based in London.

[bigtime]

4. Saudi Arabia has citizens?

I was under the impression the population of Saudi Arabia were subjects, not citizens. A minor point perhaps.

[ScotTissue]

6. Correct: subjects, not citizens

And I wonder how the questioning will go:


Inquisitioner: Are you a member of the royal family?
Man: Yes.
Inquisitioner: Release him. Bring in the next prisoner. Are you a member of the royal family?
Second Man: No.
Inquisitioner: Flog him and tell the Americans we have captured a big fish. See if we can rangle an invite to Crawford, I love that place.

[mike_c]

5. hmmm, just how firm is the House of Saud's grip on power...

...if the immams call for resistance? It's hard to imagine the hard-core Wahabists sitting still for a government crackdown.

[htuttle]

7. I'm not sure it's that simple

I'm under the impression that the Saudi royal family holds some sort of quasi-religious title/power as well as political power in Saudi Arabia. Something to do with being the caretaker of Mecca and Medina.

So it would be a little bit like a bunch of Bishops rebelling against the Pope (although that's certainly happened before historically).