Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Media: AFP
Byline: n/a
Date: 23 October 2006
DUBAI, Oct 23, 2006 (AFP) - A top Saudi cleric Monday warned of waves of
conversion to Shiism by Sunni Muslims, motivated by the strong showing by
Shiite Hezbollah militants against Israel and the situation in Iraq.
"Due to the political presence of Shiite groups in Iraq and after the
confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel in Lebanon, many (Sunnis) have
developed a kind of allegiance (to Shiism)," Sunni cleric Salman al-Udeh
told Al-Jazeera news channel.
"This allegiance turns in many cases into a fertile soil to be exploited ...
through being tempted by money or employment, to encourage some people to
convert from the Sunni faith to the Shiite faith," he told the Doha-based
television.
The ultra-orthodox Sunni cleric also lashed out at Iran accusing it of
aiding its co-religionist Shiites in neighbouring Iraq.
"Iran has flagrantly dipped its hand in Iraq's affairs. There are documents
and evidence to prove so," he claimed.
"Huge amounts of money are being pumped, accompanied by a very strong
presence of (Iranian) intelligence, apart from the moral impact on the
Shiite groups in Iraq," he added.
"This has resulted in a big change in the power balance and encouraged what
is known as (Shiite) death squads to practice an ethnic cleansing," against
Sunni Arabs, he said.
Saudi Arabia is dominated by the ultra-conservative Sunni doctrine of
Wahabism -- many of its followers describe Shiite Muslims as rejectionists.
Shiites represent some 10 percent of the population of the desert kingdom,
and have a varying presence in other Gulf and Arab countries.
But the popularity of Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah has rocketed in the
predominantly Sunni Arab and Muslim world after its July showdown with
Israel, in which many Muslims saw a victory against the mighty Jewish army.
Byline: n/a
Date: 23 October 2006
DUBAI, Oct 23, 2006 (AFP) - A top Saudi cleric Monday warned of waves of
conversion to Shiism by Sunni Muslims, motivated by the strong showing by
Shiite Hezbollah militants against Israel and the situation in Iraq.
"Due to the political presence of Shiite groups in Iraq and after the
confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel in Lebanon, many (Sunnis) have
developed a kind of allegiance (to Shiism)," Sunni cleric Salman al-Udeh
told Al-Jazeera news channel.
"This allegiance turns in many cases into a fertile soil to be exploited ...
through being tempted by money or employment, to encourage some people to
convert from the Sunni faith to the Shiite faith," he told the Doha-based
television.
The ultra-orthodox Sunni cleric also lashed out at Iran accusing it of
aiding its co-religionist Shiites in neighbouring Iraq.
"Iran has flagrantly dipped its hand in Iraq's affairs. There are documents
and evidence to prove so," he claimed.
"Huge amounts of money are being pumped, accompanied by a very strong
presence of (Iranian) intelligence, apart from the moral impact on the
Shiite groups in Iraq," he added.
"This has resulted in a big change in the power balance and encouraged what
is known as (Shiite) death squads to practice an ethnic cleansing," against
Sunni Arabs, he said.
Saudi Arabia is dominated by the ultra-conservative Sunni doctrine of
Wahabism -- many of its followers describe Shiite Muslims as rejectionists.
Shiites represent some 10 percent of the population of the desert kingdom,
and have a varying presence in other Gulf and Arab countries.
But the popularity of Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah has rocketed in the
predominantly Sunni Arab and Muslim world after its July showdown with
Israel, in which many Muslims saw a victory against the mighty Jewish army.