Posted on 06/14/2004 6:29:55 PM PDT by Indy Pendance
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Six Saudi clerics who once espoused Islamic radicalism condemned a wave of attacks on Westerners, part of the kingdom's efforts to rally its people against al-Qaida's stepped-up campaign to oust the ruling family.
The U.S. ambassador in Saudi Arabia met Monday with relatives of two Americans who were the latest victims of militant attacks: Kenneth Scroggs, who was gunned down in his garage, and Paul M. Johnson, who was kidnapped, reportedly after being drugged.
Ambassador James C. Oberwetter said he expressed his condolences to Scroggs' widow and gave Johnson's wife "my hopes for his safe return."
Oberwetter said he told the relatives that Saudi authorities have assured him they were "doing everything possible to resolve this kidnapping case."
A group identifying itself as "al-Qaida in the Arabian peninsula" has claimed responsibility for the slaying and the kidnapping, as well as other attacks in recent weeks.
U.S. and Saudi officials say the attacks aim to drive off foreign workers on whom Saudi Arabia relies in its crucial oil and technology sectors.
Western diplomats said Monday that Americans and others were leaving in response to the violence, but not in large numbers. The diplomats said some were leaving on long holidays, and others for good.
A Riyadh travel agent said flights were being booked at the elevated levels typical in summer, though it was a little early for vacation travel.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Americans in the kingdom were advised "to practice good personal and security procedures" and report anything suspicious to Saudi police.
The U.S. Embassy has advised Americans to leave Saudi Arabia, and Britain has authorized the voluntary departure of nonessential embassy staff and their families.
As part of its campaign to try to discredit Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network, the Saudi government allowed the six clerics - all of whom have past links to militants and have served prison time - to issue on the state news agency their statement condemning the attacks.
At least two of the six clerics who signed the condemnation, Safar bin Abdul Rahman al-Hawali and Salman al-Awdah, were once close to bin Laden. Bin Laden praised them in videotapes a few years ago, thanking them for their support and for "enlightening" Muslim youth.
In their statement, the clerics called the attacks "a heinous crime" and even adopted the monarchy's description of attackers as "deviants."
"We condemn the criminal acts committed by the deviant group in a number of Saudi areas in which many innocent people were killed," they said in the statement, issued Sunday.
"The nation's theologians are in consensus that it is a sin to kill a life without a right, be it Muslim or non-Muslim," it said, adding that such acts would divide Muslims "at a time ... when other nations are uniting against them."
They also warned against calling other Muslims "infidels." Al-Qaida often accuses the Saudi government of being un-Islamic and allying itself with "infidels" - a reference to the United States and other Western countries.
The clerics were unavailable for comment Monday.
Scroggs worked for Advanced Electronics Co., a Saudi firm that has U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin among its customers. Johnson, 49, of Stafford Township, N.J., was employed by Lockheed Martin. He worked on the radar systems of Apache helicopters.
The Saudi newspaper Okaz, known for its close ties to the Interior Ministry, reported that Johnson was drugged before his abduction Saturday.
Okaz quoted unidentified sources as saying a syringe containing traces of an unspecified fluid was found next to Johnson's car.
In its statement, al-Qaida threatened to subject Johnson to the same degrading punishment the U.S. military used on Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison.
Scroggs was the third Westerner killed in a week. On June 8, American Robert Jacobs also was killed in his parking garage, and an Irish television cameraman was killed two days earlier.
In its statement about Johnson's abduction, al-Qaida said it would release a videotape with his confession and its demands. No such a tape surfaced by Monday.
The statement claiming Saturday's shooting and kidnapping was signed by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, the same group that claimed responsibility for the May 29-30 shooting spree and hostage-taking in the eastern Saudi oil hub of Khobar that killed 22 people, mostly foreigners.
How do they say it? "Crocodile tears"?
Who says torture doesn't work?
Allowed? I'm thinking persuaded or extorted. Not that I care....
Prairie
I would not mind it at al if every last "Westerner" frome every Western country left Saudi Arabia for good and let them fend for themselves. We could just flatten Riyadh, Mecca and Medina and take the oil...nobdy would be left to stop us...
Translation:
Terrorism is OK when it is against Israel or the United States, but when it threatens Saudi Oil wealth, that's different. Why, its IMMORAL!!!
Apparently, this guy was beheaded.
He had the misfortune of being named Jacobs, which the Arabs erroneously assumed was a Jewish name.
I read about that, did you even see a story about it in the mainstream media? (rhetorical)
Boy howdy, I'll bet they get no end of hope from that :-(
I guess his family isn't blaming it on Bush, so it is a non-story.
Window dressing...that's all..
Kind of like the duplicious Prince Bandar whispering in our President's ear.
These Saudi clerics will "condemn" the murders of infidels until enough have been killed to drive them from the middle east -- and THEN celebrate the victory of Allah...
Try to get it straight...
Saudi Arabia IS THE ENEMY..
Saudi Arabia is the heart, soul and pocket book of militant Wahabbi Islam...
If our government REALLY wanted nation states to target for violence as our enemy, it would be Saudi Arabia, Iran and Syria.....
We are still defending against the lunatics exported from those states....one day will will have to demonstrat our anger and determination by destroying them in their home country..
Semper Fi
In their statement, the clerics called the attacks "a heinous crime" and even adopted the monarchy's description of attackers as "deviants."
Except that for Wahabbis it not...deviant that is.
Yawn. Liars. Who believes them. What credibility does their flipflop have in the eyes of Saudis. Everyone probably assumes they were coerced into making this statement by the panicked Royals, at least those who aren't AQ.
A day late, a dollar short.
Burn, Baby, Burn.
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