Monday, June 25, 2007

The Saudi offshore satellite television station Alarbiya, controlled by a royal prince, has been leading a crusade (no pun here) against what it sees as Shi'a (Shi'ite) expansionism. This started ever since a Shi'a- Kurdish led coalition was elected to run Iraq. But it has escalated since the Israeli-Hezballah war last summer and the increased rivalry between the Shi'a block in Lebanon (Hizballah and Amal) and the Saudi-allied Hariri block and its partners (Mr Saad Hariri is also a Saudi citizen). This trend is evident all across the Saudi press, especially the offshore media like Asharq Alawsat (Middle East), Alhayat, and Alarabiya.

These media outlets often, almost daily, exchange their editorials and opinion columns. Alarabiya periodically reports on 'uncovering' Shi'a 'converts' around the Arab world. It has reported on Algerian security uncovering teachers who had 'converted' to Shi'ism, and has extensively reported on allegations of Egyptian, Sudanese, and especially Palestinian conversions. It never mentions whether these converts hide in dark catacombs, but it does imply that there is something sinister about the whole thing.....it is soooo un-Wahhabi.

Today it headlined with a report of a dangerous new trend: Shi'as in Egypt seeking to establish a house of worship!!! Oy vey, what will they try next? A synagogue in Riyadh?
Cheers
Mohammed

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