Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JEDDAH245
2006-03-29 07:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jeddah
Cable title:
MOSQUE SERMONS FORM SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 24:
VZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHJI #0245 0880727 ZNY CCCCC ZZH (CCY TAGS ADDED ADAE3FF2 WSC3457) P 290727Z MAR 06 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8966 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1326 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1398 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 6318 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JEDDAH 000245
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP;
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (TAGS ADDED)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PINR KISL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FORM SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 24:
IMAMS SAY SHI'A CAUSING STRIFE IN IRAQ, PROPHET LEARNED
JEWS WERE TRAITORS, AND EVEN NATIONS MAY BE PUNISHED FOR
WRONG-DOING
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
FROM EASTER PROVINCE: IMAM SEES THE MALIGN INFLUENCE OF IRAN
AND SHI'A IN IRAQ TURMOIL
C O N F I D E N T I A L JEDDAH 000245
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP;
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (TAGS ADDED)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PINR KISL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FORM SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 24:
IMAMS SAY SHI'A CAUSING STRIFE IN IRAQ, PROPHET LEARNED
JEWS WERE TRAITORS, AND EVEN NATIONS MAY BE PUNISHED FOR
WRONG-DOING
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
FROM EASTER PROVINCE: IMAM SEES THE MALIGN INFLUENCE OF IRAN
AND SHI'A IN IRAQ TURMOIL
1. (C) On March 24, speaking from Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal
Mosque in Khobar, Imam Shaikh al-Qahtani harangued a
congregation of more than 500 with theories blaming Iran and
Shi'a for the growing sectarian violence in Iraq. He
speculated that the people who demolished the Shi'ite mosque
were the same people who destroyed 400 Sunni mosques in an
effort to foment dissent and pit Sunni against Shi'ite. He
claimed that 7,500 Sunni had been slain, the majority of whom
were scholars and other members of the Sunni elite. He
offered historical examples demonstrating the Shia's
deeply-rooted animosity against Sunnis. He continued by
accusing the Iranian intelligence service and the pro-Iranian
Al Badr Brigade and Iraq interior ministry death squads for
killing and kidnapping Sunnis. To illustrate the fear that
grips Sunnis in Iraqi, he told of an Iraqi Sunni woman who
dreads the knock on the door in the middle of the night,
particularly when the caller is in an Iraqi uniform, because
the result is the soldiers drag one or more male family
members outside to be detained, kidnapped, or executed. In
the imam's words, the woman professed to be less fearful to
find an American soldier at her door, because, he related:
"Americans, mostly because of their fear of the press, do by
and large respect human rights, and that its not difficult to
inquire about detained family members or follow their cases
in court." The imam accused Iran and, indirectly, Iraqi
Shi'ites of systematically murdering Sunnis. He asked that
Arab governments reconsider their relations with Iran, in
light of this perceived campaign of murder. He concluded by
condemning the Shi'ites and the Iranians of willingly or
unwillingly helping Americans and Israelis to plant discord
among Sunni populations.
FROM MECCA: PROPHET'S LIFE AND JEWS; IMAM ASKS GOD'S SUPPORT
FOR MUJAHIDIN
2. (C) Preaching from the Holy Mosque in Mecca on March 24,
Imam Shaykh Salih Al Talib recommended the life of the
Prophet as the guide for proper behavior. Taking as a useful
example from the Prophet's life, he condemned the "Jews of
the time for poisoning the Prophet," describing them as
"traitors, violators of treaties and killers of prophets."
The sermon concluded with a prayer for God to strengthen
Islam and support the mujahidin in Palestine and elsewhere.
FROM MEDINA: MUSLIMS MUST OBEY GOD; EVEN NATIONS ARE
PUNISHED FOR EVIL DEEDS
3. (U) On the same day, from the Holy Mosque in Medina,
Shaykh Ali Bin-Abd-al-Rahman al-Hudhayfi lectured the
audience that the "servants of God" must obey God as the way
to success. He warned that evildoers will inevitably be
punished in life and the afterlife and recited examples from
history of tyrants and nations that were punished for their
misdeeds.
Gfoeller
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP;
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (TAGS ADDED)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PINR KISL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FORM SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 24:
IMAMS SAY SHI'A CAUSING STRIFE IN IRAQ, PROPHET LEARNED
JEWS WERE TRAITORS, AND EVEN NATIONS MAY BE PUNISHED FOR
WRONG-DOING
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
FROM EASTER PROVINCE: IMAM SEES THE MALIGN INFLUENCE OF IRAN
AND SHI'A IN IRAQ TURMOIL
1. (C) On March 24, speaking from Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal
Mosque in Khobar, Imam Shaikh al-Qahtani harangued a
congregation of more than 500 with theories blaming Iran and
Shi'a for the growing sectarian violence in Iraq. He
speculated that the people who demolished the Shi'ite mosque
were the same people who destroyed 400 Sunni mosques in an
effort to foment dissent and pit Sunni against Shi'ite. He
claimed that 7,500 Sunni had been slain, the majority of whom
were scholars and other members of the Sunni elite. He
offered historical examples demonstrating the Shia's
deeply-rooted animosity against Sunnis. He continued by
accusing the Iranian intelligence service and the pro-Iranian
Al Badr Brigade and Iraq interior ministry death squads for
killing and kidnapping Sunnis. To illustrate the fear that
grips Sunnis in Iraqi, he told of an Iraqi Sunni woman who
dreads the knock on the door in the middle of the night,
particularly when the caller is in an Iraqi uniform, because
the result is the soldiers drag one or more male family
members outside to be detained, kidnapped, or executed. In
the imam's words, the woman professed to be less fearful to
find an American soldier at her door, because, he related:
"Americans, mostly because of their fear of the press, do by
and large respect human rights, and that its not difficult to
inquire about detained family members or follow their cases
in court." The imam accused Iran and, indirectly, Iraqi
Shi'ites of systematically murdering Sunnis. He asked that
Arab governments reconsider their relations with Iran, in
light of this perceived campaign of murder. He concluded by
condemning the Shi'ites and the Iranians of willingly or
unwillingly helping Americans and Israelis to plant discord
among Sunni populations.
FROM MECCA: PROPHET'S LIFE AND JEWS; IMAM ASKS GOD'S SUPPORT
FOR MUJAHIDIN
2. (C) Preaching from the Holy Mosque in Mecca on March 24,
Imam Shaykh Salih Al Talib recommended the life of the
Prophet as the guide for proper behavior. Taking as a useful
example from the Prophet's life, he condemned the "Jews of
the time for poisoning the Prophet," describing them as
"traitors, violators of treaties and killers of prophets."
The sermon concluded with a prayer for God to strengthen
Islam and support the mujahidin in Palestine and elsewhere.
FROM MEDINA: MUSLIMS MUST OBEY GOD; EVEN NATIONS ARE
PUNISHED FOR EVIL DEEDS
3. (U) On the same day, from the Holy Mosque in Medina,
Shaykh Ali Bin-Abd-al-Rahman al-Hudhayfi lectured the
audience that the "servants of God" must obey God as the way
to success. He warned that evildoers will inevitably be
punished in life and the afterlife and recited examples from
history of tyrants and nations that were punished for their
misdeeds.
Gfoeller