Suleiman Al-Zayedi, a member of the Shoura, urged the people of Awamiya not to engage in any activity that would undermine the Kingdom’s security and safety, incited by foreign forces.
“You should not work as tools of spiteful people and those who target our security, be they foreign individuals or organizations or governments,” Al-Zayedi said and urged citizens to prevent such riots.
“The reply for such excesses and violations should come from citizens before the government, because every citizen has a responsibility to protect their nation from harm,” he said and urged the government to punish the rioters in accordance with the Shariah law.
According to a Saudi Press Agency report, 14 people including 11 security officers were injured in the incident. Nine policemen were shot and wounded and two hurt by petrol bombs, the report said, adding that a man and two women were injured by gunfire.
The Interior Ministry said the troublemakers in Qatif were acting at the behest of a foreign country “which tried to undermine the nation’s security in a blatant act of interference.” The ministry urged the troublemakers in the city to prove their loyalty to the nation.
Majdi Hariri, another Shoura member, said such acts of sabotage would not affect the Kingdom’s national unity. “It indicates that foreign forces are trying to undermine the Kingdom’s security and unity,” he added. Sheikh Aazib Al-Misbal, chairman of the Islamic Affairs Committee at the Shoura, said the riots that took place in Awamiya were unacceptable and urged the government to take strong action against saboteurs.
Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and a professor at Umm Al-Qura University, condemned the Awamiya riots, describing them as “criminal and disruptive acts.” He said Islam prohibits the killing of innocent and peaceful people and destruction of private and public properties.
“What is the objective of these troublemakers and on whose interest they are acting?” the imam asked and called for greater efforts to promote Islamic values and tackle contradictions in Muslim societies.
A number of Islamic preachers, academics and ordinary people in Qatif have expressed their anguish over the Awamiya incident. “Those who took part in rioting do not represent Qatif people,” said Abdulhaleem Al-Kaidar, district chief (umda) of Tarout.