Saudis mass executions, including cleric

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 2:18 pm

http://news.sky.com/story/1615553/backlash-after-saudi-executes-muslim-cleric

Backlash After Saudi Executes Muslim Cleric
A Shia cleric is among 47 people executed by Saudi Arabia and provokes condemnation in which Iran says it will "pay a high price"

Supporters of Nimr protest ouitside the Saudi embassy in Sanaa

There has been fierce criticism of Saudi Arabia after it executed 47 people at prisons around the country including a prominent Shia cleric.

Nimr al Nimr was a driving force behind the protests in the east of the Sunni-ruled country during the Arab Spring in 2011.

There are fears his death may spark fresh unrest among Saudi's Shia minority and in neighbouring Bahrain, where demonstrators have already taken to the streets.

However, the 56-year-old's brother has called for a "peaceful" response to the execution. saying the family did not want to see further bloodshed.

The list of those executed did not include al Nimr's nephew, Ali al Nimr, who was 17 when he was arrested in 2012.

Reports he had been sentenced to death sparked global outrage because of his age and the severity of the punishment.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to intervene. The UK has close ties with Saudi Arabia.

Most on the list were detained after a series of attacks by al Qaeda between 2003 and 2006 in which hundreds of people were killed. Four, including al Nimr, were Shias accused of shooting policemen.

In a statement the Interior Ministry said the 47 had been convicted of adopting the radical "takfiri" ideology, joining "terrorist organisations" and implementing various "criminal plots".

All but two - an Egyptian and a Chadian- were Saudi nationals. The executions took place in 12 cities in Saudi Arabia, with four prisons using firing squads and the others beheading.

Saudi Arabia's top cleric, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz al Sheikh, said taking their lives was a "mercy to the prisoners" as it would save them from committing more evil acts.

Criticism of al Nimr's execution has been led by Shia-dominated Iran, Saudi Arabia's main rival in the Middle East.

The Foreign Ministry warned the kingdom would "pay a high price", while a leading Iranian cleric, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, predicted the repercussions will "wipe" the Saudi ruling family "from the pages of history".

That view was shared by former Iraqi PM Nouri al Maliki who said in a statement al Nimr's death "will topple the Saudi regime".

The Lebanese militant group Hizbollah called it an "assassination" and the country's Supreme Islamic Shia Council described it as a "grave mistake".

In the UK, Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn said carrying out the death sentence on al Nimr was "profoundly wrong".

The international human rights group Reprieve said it showed the Saudi government was "continuing to target those who have called for domestic reform in the kingdom."

Al Nimr's family said they were shocked but did not want his execution to result in any more bloodshed.

His brother, Mohammed al Nimr, told Reuters: "Sheikh Nimr enjoyed high esteem in his community and within Muslim society in general and no doubt there will be reaction.

"We hope that any reactions would be confined to a peaceful framework. No one should have any reaction outside this peaceful framework. Enough bloodshed."

Last year 157 people were put to death in Saudi Arabia, compared to 90 in 2014.

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 2:19 pm

My money's on Iran; unlike the decadent head-choppers in Saudi, they are fearsome fighters. And they aren't infested with spoiled 'princes' throwing away the national wealth on hookers, fast cars, and cocaine.

And they don't need to hire mercenaries to do their fighting for them.

**lily** Sat Jan 02, 2016 4:38 pm

Oh my! This will get interesting. Pcorneater

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 5:00 pm

http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/jan/02/middle-east-condemns-saudi-execution-of-shia-cleric-live

Getting interesting already, from the looks of things. Well done, KSA - you achieved the fairly remarkable feat of handing Iran the moral high ground.

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 5:02 pm

PS - I wish to make it clear that I don't give a flying one about genuine terrorists being sent to meet Allah - there just seems to be a great deal of doubt as to whether the shot and beheaded ones actually were terrorists....

**lily** Sat Jan 02, 2016 5:15 pm

They are a blood thirsty lot anyway......

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:06 pm

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-01-02/saudi-arabia-carries-out-largest-mass-execution-25-years-after-beheadings-soar-2015

Worth a read.

**lily** Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:28 pm

Yes it is, Bonny. The House of Saud is indeed in a difficult spot right now.......

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:49 pm

http://news.sky.com/story/1615553/embassy-attacked-after-muslim-cleric-executed

Embassy Attacked After Muslim Cleric Executed
Pictures appear to show Saudi Arabia's mission in Tehran on fire after Shia cleric Nimr al Nimr is one of 47 people put to death.

The Saudi embassy in Tehran has come under attack from petrol bomb throwers amid a backlash against the execution of a prominent Shia cleric.

Video footage posted on Twitter shows molotov cocktails hitting the front of the mission and other pictures posted since appear to show the building on fire.

There was fierce criticism of Saudi Arabia after it executed 47 people at prisons around the country including Nimr al Nimr.

The 56-year-old was a driving force behind the anti-government protests in the east of the Sunni-ruled country during the Arab Spring in 2011.

There have been outbreaks of unrest in neighbouring Bahrain, where demonstrators have already taken to the streets, and also in the eastern Iranian city of Mashhad, where the Saudi consulate was also overrun.

Well, that escalated quickly....

**lily** Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:53 pm

When they get angry, they get angry. Pcorneater

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:56 pm

https://www.rt.com/news/327755-saudi-embassy-iran-protest/

Videos of anti-Saudi rioting. It does look as if the Saudis have done something incredibly stupid.

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 10:01 pm

**lily** Sat Jan 02, 2016 10:45 pm

Wow! This has the makings of getting very ugly very quickly.....

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:16 pm

It looks like all Hell is breaking loose, Lily.

Saudis mass executions, including cleric 2FBC8EED00000578-3381833-image-a-12_1451756446699

Clash: Protesters clashed with security forces in Bahrain as security forces tried to suppress the angry demonstators

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3381833/Saudi-Arabia-executes-dozens-convicted-terrorism-including-Shiite-cleric-Arab-Spring-protests.html#ixzz3w8EVRYTm
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

From what I can make out, this cleric they've executed doesn't actually seem to be a terrorist, just a trouble-maker? It was an astoundingly stupid thing to do - Washington simply cannot turn a blind eye to this, as they usually do with Saudis.

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:26 pm

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/01/02/444224/Iran-Saudi-Arania-Khamenei-Nimr/

Meanwhile, Ayatollah Khamenei's official English website, english.khamenei.ir, carried a large image of Sheikh Nimr with the words "What the Quran promised."

Saudis mass executions, including cleric Screen26

Saudis mass executions, including cleric Screen26

Just what the Middle East doesn't need - more civil and religious unrest, and bloodshed. I can see this leading to the end of the Saudi monarchy - which probably wouldn't be a bad thing for the wider world.

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:35 pm

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/nimr-al-nimr-execution-iranian-cleric-says-death-penalty-will-bring-down-the-saudi-arabias-ruling-a6793681.html

Nimr al-Nimr execution: Iranian cleric says death penalty will bring down Saudi Arabia's ruling family
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami’s comments came as Iran’s foreign minister warned Saudi Arabia would pay a ‘high price’ for the execution

One of Iran’s most senior clerics has predicted the fall of Saudi Arabia's ruling family following the kingdom's execution of Shi’ite preacher Nimr al-Nimr.

Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami’s comments came as Iran’s foreign minister warned Saudi Arabia would pay a ‘high price’ for following policies that led to the execution of al-Nimr and 46 others for ‘terrorism offences’.

Ayatollah Khatami who branded the House of Saud ‘treacherous’, told the Mehr news agency: "I have no doubt that this pure blood will stain the collar of the House of Saud and wipe them from the pages of history.

"The crime of executing Sheikh Nimr is part of a criminal pattern by this treacherous family... the Islamic world is expected to cry out and denounce this infamous regime as much as it can."

His comments follow a warning last year from Iran that the execution of al-Nimr would "cost Saudi Arabia dearly", while the sentiment was echoed by a spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, Hossein Jaber Ansari, following al-Nimr’s death.

He told the official IRNA news agency: "The Saudi government supports terrorist movements and extremists, but confronts domestic critics with oppression and execution... the Saudi government will pay a high price for following these policies."

Shytehitsfan

**lily** Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:38 pm

Well Iran has something (or will soon) and Saudi Arabia could probably buy one from Pakistan? Eek

**bb1** Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:45 pm

Just one snag; despite being an odd mix of theocracy and democracy, Iran has things like Iranian scientists, etc. Saudi has mercenaries and useless 'princes' that are more interested in hookers and cocaine.

I don't think the Saudis could cope with a serious internal uprising, never mind some of the ferocious Iranian military.

**lily** Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:51 pm

Which is why they might even get desperate enough to buy something from Pakistan?

**bb1** Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:00 am

They might try, but would even Pakistan be mad enough to sell, Lily? Dunno, it's all too complicated for me.

Just a reminder from a few months back:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/09/28/why-one-of-the-worlds-worst-human-rights-offenders-is-leading-a-un-human-rights-panel/

Saudi Arabia is having a bad year on the human rights front. In the past few months, the U.S. ally has drawn widespread condemnation for sentencing a blogger to 1,000 lashes with a cane for writing about free speech (only 50 lashes have been delivered so far), and for its plans to execute a young political dissident by beheading him and publicly crucifying his body afterward.

But there is one bright spot for the Middle Eastern kingdom -- the same week that the international community was in an uproar over the plight of the young dissident, a watchdog group drew attention to the fact that Saudi Arabia had been selected to oversee an influential U.N. panel on human rights. That panel "selects top officials who shape international human rights standards and report on violations worldwide," said UN Watch, the watchdog group based in Geneva.....etc.

IMO, the Saudis are just about the worst regime on earth - worse even than North Korea, and it disgusts me that so many Western leaders kow-tow to them. Horrible, corrupt people.

**lily** Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:05 am

They really are horrible, Bonny. Having experienced their er....'hospitality' for myself, I cannot say enough about how awful they can be. The women, I have met, are lovely though.

If the price is right, you never know what may be available for sale......

**bb1** Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:11 am

I can't recall ever meeting any Saudis, Lily. I have, however, met one or two Iranians, and found them pleasant, normal people, proud of their nation and heritage without being aggressive about it. I don't think Shias are quite as deranged as the rest of them - not that that is saying much.

**lily** Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:22 am

I have also met quite a few important Iranians and other who are not. Some of them are fabulous and others not so. Kind of like any normal society.

I do know that I have met many Arabs from various countries and some are lovely.

**bb1** Sun Jan 03, 2016 11:50 am

As I recall, Iranians (Persians) aren't actually Arabs?

They're doing a good line in threatening today:

http://news.sky.com/story/1615767/iran-in-divine-vengeance-warning-to-saudi

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "The unjustly spilled blood of this oppressed martyr will no doubt soon show its effect and divine vengeance will befall Saudi politicians."

Nothing like a bit of good old-fashioned Divine Vengeance.

**Lamplighter** Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:14 pm

Persians come from Persia (i.e Iran although Persia extended beyond that modern border in the past) and generally speak Farsi. Arabs come from the Arab world (i.e. Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, etc... and sometimes including North African countries especially Egypt and sometimes Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco) and speak Arabic. Persians and Arabs are specific "races" or ethnicities although they both largely practice Islam and share some similar cultural traditions and practices.

LL

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