It could be the Islamic State, bombing a mosque full of Muslims whom it considers to be heretics and apostates. It could be Sunni/Shi’ite jihad. It could be both. One thing it isn’t: an attack by so-called “Islamophobes” — indeed, “Islamophobes,” contrary to myth, have never bombed any mosque or caused the death of any Muslim. Yet “Islamophobia” gets far more attention from the international media than the 1,400-year-old Sunni/Shi’ite conflict, even though that conflict really does kill Muslims.
“17 killed in suicide attack at Saudi mosque,” Agence France Presse, August 6, 2015:
RIYADH: A “terrorist” bomb targeting a mosque used by Saudi police killed at least 17 people Thursday in the southern city of Abha, state television El-Ikhbariya reported.
The explosion took place as worshipers were praying at a mosque used by Saudi special forces in Abha, the broadcaster said, describing it as a “terrorist” attack. It gave no further details.
An interior ministry spokesman confirmed the attack but gave a slightly lower toll of “more than 13” dead.
The victims were members of a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, the spokesman told AFP.
“It’s confirmed there’s an explosion and there’s more than 13 [ killed]… in a mosque,” the spokesman said.
The explosion happened at the headquarters of the SWAT team, which is tasked with domestic security, he added.
It was too early to say who may have carried out the attack, he added.
Saudi Arabia has been on alert for attacks by ISIS, who have been blamed for killing policemen and for slaughtering members of the minority Shiite community.
mortimer says
The House of Saud created this Frankenstein’s monster called Salafism. The House of Saud taught Salafism in its school system and then exported the textbooks to every country as well as other Salafist literature. Is it a surprise that when you start telling Muslims that they aren’t ‘ISLAMIC ENOUGH’ that some Muslims will point the finger at the House of Saud?
Now the Salafist war goes on in Saudi Arabia against its founders. Ironic, but can they kill their own ‘son’? Many Muslims will lose their faith when they realize that Saudi Arabia is now forced to kill Salafism before it kills the House of Saud.
umbra says
It appears that there is also some form of political intrigue occurring within the house of saud. This bombing hit a saudi SWAT unit which presumably is under the control of the interior ministry led by the crown prince (nephew and ally of the present king). Earlier this year, the present king removed the previous crown prince and installed his nephew as the new crown prince. Further, he also installed his son as the deputy crown prince (and defence minister). Thus, the present succession contains only the sudairi line. Those outside this lineage, include the faction of the family that commands the national guards (drawn tribally and supposedly has heavy salafist influences) may not see the present succession situation in a good light. Recent (decade or so?) succession plans appear to have alternating lineages, that is until the present king took over this year.
voegelinian says
mortimer’s analysis is essentially correct; except that the Frankenstein monster the Saudis have been fomenting in various parts of the globe (including the West) with their trillions of petrodollars is garden-variety, normative, mainstream, ordinary Islam; from which fact calling it “Salafism” would distract and tend to reinforce the TMOE meme (Tiny Minority of Extremists — where adjustments to the “Tiny” part to make it bigger by degrees should not be the business of the Counter-Jihad but should be left to the PC MCs and the Good/Better Cop Islamopologists, who do it so well anyway).
Jaladhi says
Great, now and then Saudis get to see the real Islam in action. You more of such attacks will change the Wahaabi mind??
Godwin says
Saudis are reaping what they had sown. The karmic debt has to be paid.
G179 says
Islamic state vs. Saudi Arabia: It’s a “cut-throat competition”.
gravenimage says
Alien vs. Predator…
Godwin says
No, it is the creator vs its creation,the Frankenstein monster. Wahahahaha !
Buraq says
Very violent chickens coming home to roost! Couldn’t have happened to a nicer religion :)).
Saudi Arabia spent billions promoting violent jihad, and now they are getting a taste of it themselves. Brilliant!
Charli Main says
Agreed—-couldn´t happen to “nicer” people. Long may it continue
mortimer says
If ISIS finds permission for an atrocity in Sharia law, they will try it out on an industrial scale.
voegelinian says
Islamic jihadists (i.e., Muslims) have been trying to give an Arab Spring cleaning to the Saudi kingdom for decades. Recall 1979 — not the first signs of the End of Disco — but an even better event (as reported about a year ago by a Jihad Watch reader I’ve never heard of before or since, “wtd”).
First, wtd quotes from a report from the ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America):
“The American mosque is a remarkably young institution: over three-fourths *76% of all existing mosques were established since 1980.”
Then wtd continues:
Since 1980. . .so why choose the set point 1980? Puzzle pieces may begin to fall into place when considering the following incident and resolution:
1979′s Seige of Mecca, via book by Yaroslav Trofimov
Quote:
“On November 20, 1979, worldwide attention was focused on Tehran, where the Iranian hostage crisis was entering its third week. The same morning—the first of a new Muslim century—hundreds of gunmen stunned the world by seizing Islam’s holiest shrine, the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Armed with rifles that they had smuggled inside coffins, these men came from more than a dozen countries, launching the first operation of global jihad in modern times. Led by a Saudi preacher named Juhayman al Uteybi, they believed that the Saudi royal family had become a craven servant of American infidels, and sought a return to the glory of uncompromising Islam. “
Further discussion:
PBS Frontline: “House of Saud” documentary discusses the deal made by the Saudi King to retain control over Mecca and Medina after the Siege of Mecca in 1979 as told in this leading Arab photo magazine spread for Majalla, The End of Jihad (2009), 30 Years After the Siege of Mecca.
After considering a quick scan of the LongWarJournal’s link, the evidence is there, if only they would choose to recognize Islam for the threat it really is.
voegelinian says
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/09/saudi-official-western-politicians-and-media-linked-islam-to-911-thereby-driving-muslims-to-become-terrorists/comment-page-1#comment-1116221
Walter Sieruk says
The ISIS villains bomb many places ,religious places , non-religious places. The fiends who compose the brutal and deadly jihad entity ISIS murder people in many other places and in other hideous ways also , such as by burning, beheading ,shooting stabbings drowning along with a host of other vicious ,cruel and deadly methods . The ruthless and murderous thugs of ISIS with the extreme violence and heinous mindset may be described in the Bible in Romans 3:15-17. Which reads “Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are before in their ways:and the way of peace have they not known.” [K.J.V..]
Angemon says
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer country.
RonaldB says
It’s interesting that the two groups most responsible for organized Islamic penetration of the US government and local government are the Saudis and the Muslim Brotherhood (more than a little associated with the Islamic State). Both are Sunni.
I have no doubt that Iran has multiple sleeper cells in the US, but these are likely more focused on sabotage and are keeping a low profile until activated.
The competition between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic State, like the intense hostility between Saudi Arabia and Iran, show that an intelligent US government should be able to manipulate the Middle Eastern rivalries to minimize threats to the US…or to Israel. An example is the intense hostility between Iran and Iraq under Hussein, before moron George W Bush destroyed Iraq as a coherent entity. Iran and Iraq could have been used to balance each other.
Using Saudi Arabia to balance the Islamic State in no way implies Saudi Arabia should be viewed as a friend or even an ally. We have some common interests, but maintaining the fiction that Saudi Arabia is a friend is extremely dangerous. Saudi Arabia and Israel appear to have some cooperation in acting against Iran, but does anyone think that either Israel or Saudi Arabia trusts the other?
Sam says
I am sure this was a plot by Jews and it had nothing to do with the religion of peace. Nobody really sees this obvious innocence and beauty of Islam. Those infidels again!!!!
johnj says
If indeed it is the Islamic State, then it is another step in the aim to get Mecca and Medina. They are fomenting chaos and out of that IS will gain recruits and sympathizes. Then Mecca and Medina will fall. Each of these attacks shows the locals that Allah is on their side. There is no greater proof in the Islamic tradition. Victory is always seen as showing Allah’s favor.
Once there is an uprising and the Islamic State take Mecca and Medina,every Sunni Muslim around the world will have to consider who is in Allah’s favor. The Saudi family all 30,000 plus of them will be executed. It is inevitable. They, the Islamic State, have logic of action on their side. If you think about this you can see that under Islam those that act will always win over those that talk and enforce. This was an attack on the security forces – an excellent ( if tragic) example.
Just A Concerned Citizen says
Front page news this morning out here in Bahrain. The local Arabic ragsheet states that IS claimed responsibility, and their spokesperson shared with readers that the “martyr’s” name was Abu Sanan An-Najdi.
This was followed by a cut & paste condemnation from the head mufti over in Saudi (strikingly similar to what he said last time–get some new material, ole boy…), as well as his trumpeting that this was proof that the perps had NOTHING to do with Islam, and took two paragraphs to express this. Clearly, this was a statement intended for the infidel press that they forgot to omit for their readership who certainly know better.
Carlos Danger says
chickens (or are they vultures?) coming home to roost in the Kingdom. good.
Perhaps one day, on her way to the airport, the last living member of the House of Saud left in that nation will drive by a miles long array of pikes bearing the heads of her male relatives who were too slow to flee.
I doubt that the Caliph will be an improvement over King Salman though.
johnj says
This is the real question: Will IS be an improvement? We have the weigh it up very carefully. When IS takes Mecca there will be mass retribution. In particular any US trained Saudis ( the citizens – not just the tribe) will have to show allegiance. Don’t forget that most of the ruling class and all the youth working for Government have gone to either USA or European schools.
Unlike the Saudi ruling class who have loosely used Wahhabism, IS will be completely ruthless. And they will demand allegiance around the world. And the mosques will line up to show allegiance. You may not like to hear this but the Saudi ruling clan are the only thing stopping IS. They have no qualms about calling these guys Islamic extremists.
When the Haj occurs, with IS in charge, it will be mass indoctrination. The only good thing is that IS will start an internal power struggle.