Saudi Religious Police Torture…..Other Muslims

Sometimes Allah's army doesn't hesitate to torture its own. More religious persecution by Saudi authorities. This time, however, with a twist; the victims are US and British Muslims.

"Pilgrims accuse Saudi religious police, want trial" from Reuters:

LONDON (Reuters) - A group of British and U.S. Shi'ite Muslims said on Friday the Saudi religious police they accuse of beating them in the holy city of Mecca should be put on trial abroad.

The eight male pilgrims, all of Iraqi descent, said they were beaten and detained overnight on Sunday by the Saudi Mutawa'a, or religious police, because of their nationalities and the fact they were holding Shi'ite-style prayers.

Saudi embassy officials were not immediately available for comment. Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awsat quoted Ghazi al-Usaimi, deputy police chief at Mecca's Grand Mosque, on Thursday as denying any truth to reports.

At a news conference in London, the group of Shi'ite pilgrims called on the religious police to apologize and pay compensation. They said those responsible should be handed over and tried for violating human rights.

"While in police custody we were handcuffed and savagely beaten with chairs, bats, sticks, shoes and police radio communication devices," 24-year-old pilgrim Amir Taki said.

He said they were refused food, water, medicine and access to toilets. One was told they would be "killed and thrown to the dogs".

The incident is the latest of a series of scandals involving the Saudi religious police after two Saudis died in their custody this year, prompting calls by Saudi liberals for the autonomous force to be disbanded.

If there are no infidels around to be persecuted, then someone else must be sacrificed on Allah's altar.

Never a dull day in the capital of Islam.