January 29, 2004
Another shoot-out with Al Queda in Saudi Arabia as Hajj begins
Five Saudi Agents Killed in Shootout
Five Saudi security agents were killed in a shootout with terror suspects in the Saudi capital Thursday, as nearly 2 million Muslims from around the world began the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca amid heightened security after a year of terror attacks in the kingdom.
Bombings killed 51 people, including eight Americans, at housing compounds for foreigners in 2003; Saudi and U.S. officials have blamed the al-Qaida network of Osama bin Laden, a Saudi exile.
This could be an interesting next few days.
The Sauds' real war as (Sunni) Wahhabs is with all the other sects of Islam, particularly Shi'ites, whom they lump in with Jews and Christians and the Great Satan.
While we all may be "people of the Book," they think we're polytheists (I think they deem the Holy Trinity of Christianity to be "3 separate gods"), who should be killed or subjugated to the "pure" monotheistic faith of Wahhabist sect of Islam.
And then there's OBL and Al Queda, whom I believe also are Sunny Wahhabs but who consider the Saudi Royal Family to be decadent, apostate Muslims who should be deposed.
Sigh. Saudi Arabia--what a hellhole of a country!
Why would anyone want to go there if they didn't have to?
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