Would Al-Qaeda be short-sighted enough to destroy the ultimate source of worldwide funding for jihad? From the World Tribune, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm:
Saudi Arabia has bolstered its forces in the Eastern Province after an alert of an Al Qaida attack on the kingdom's oil fields and nearby Shi'ite communities.Saudi opposition sources said Riyad has reinforced National Guard troops and has constructed barriers around the regional capital of Qatif. The sources said the main concern is that Al Qaida would launch a suicide car bombing in the city.
So far, Saudi authorities have closed off sections of the Shi'ite-populated city of Qatif. Police also banned cars to the Al Qalaa section of that city.
The Al Qaida threat comes amid an effort by the state-owned Saudi Aramco to increase oil production at Qatif, Middle East Newsline reported. The effort has been plagued by safety difficulties because of the proximity of the oil fields to Shi'ite communities.
Saudi opposition sources said Al Qaida has been encouraged by Saudi clerics to launch attacks on the Shi'ite minority amid demands for equal rights with the Sunni majority. They said ruling clerics in Saudi Arabia have been concerned that the destruction of the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein would result in a Shi'ite-dominated Iraq that would encourage separatism in Saudi Arabia.
Al Qaida has already issued several fatwas, or religious rulings, that encourage violence against Sh'ites. On Jan. 14, Sheik Salman Al Odeh, a pro-Al Qaida Saudi cleric, termed Shi'ites infidels and enemies. Another pro-Al Qaida cleric, Sheik Safar Al Hawali, warned the Shi'ites that they would be massacred while others called for the removal of Shi'ites from all government positions.
Good. If the gentle, peace loving Al Qaida is busy targeting their gentle, peace loving Shiite brethern, maybe they will be too busy to come after me.
jay
Looks like the chickens are coming home to roost for the Saudis. Good! They have been playing both ends against the middle long enough, it's about time they get theirs. Maybe it's because Al Qaida can't do anything in the rest of the world or maybe it's because the U.S. is pulling our support out of Saudi. Either way it's just a matter of time until the house of Saud falls. Eventually they'll get what's coming to them. They nationalized (stole) the oil fields the West built. They used the profits they made from us to spread their Wahabi poison to the rest of the world. They secretly funded Bin Laden as long as he kept his jihad out of their country. They have sown the wind, let them reap the whirlwind.
A friend of mine describes it as a pack of wild dogs finally biting the hand that feeds them.
jay
They can blow up the oil wells, they'd still get money from Pat's diamond mines in Liberia
The Saudis, like Al Qaeda, are Sunni. What a scenario. They take out the Saudis, we take them out.
if the house of saud falls, wahhabism and al qaeda will rush to fill the vacuum. if musharref falls, al qaeda will rush to fill the vacuum in pakistan as well. a lot of oil money and nuclear weapons in the hands of al qaeda is not a nice scenario to consider. sometimes the devil you have is better than the one you'll get.