Terrorist attempt to ‘destabilize, divide’ the Kingdom denounced

JEDDAH: Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh has slammed the terrorists who gunned down seven people this week, for trying to destabilize and divide the country. “What happened in Al-Ahsa is an example of brutal aggression and a great injustice. This is carried out by sick minds seeking to incite fitna between people, God forbid,” he said. He said these acts were being carried out by those who want “to open the door to sectarian conflict so that we kill and destroy each other,” he warned in a televised speech on Tuesday. “We live in one state, secure and stable under a single government that brings us together,” the grand mufti said. He called on the government to punish those responsible in the harshest possible manner. GCC Secretary-General Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani said: “The attack violates the basic principles of Islam. It was aimed at causing division and sedition. However, the terrorists will not succeed in achieving their nefarious objectives.” Police found the body of one of the attackers in Buraidah on Wednesday. It was not clear who killed him. This means that three terrorists have lost their lives. The other two were killed in a shootout in Shaqra on Tuesday. Meanwhile, thousands of people attended the funeral prayers Wednesday of two security officers killed in the shootout with the terrorists. Prayers for Capt. Muhammad Al-Enezi and Cpl. Turki Al-Rasheed were held in Hail and in Buraidah. They were slain during a raid on a terrorist hideout in Mahlmin district in north Hail on Tuesday. The two officers were members of the Qassim Emergency Force that conducted the raid in connection with Monday’s shootout in Al-Ahsa, which saw masked gunmen kill seven people.   Arab News