Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RIYADH1461
2006-03-08 08:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
SHI'A ACTIVIST SAYS SHIRAZIS ARE MODERATING
how-toVZCZCXRO1715 PP RUEHDE DE RUEHRH #1461 0670810 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 080810Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4808 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2486 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0442 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 001461
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINS PINR SA
SUBJECT: SHI'A ACTIVIST SAYS SHIRAZIS ARE MODERATING
INFLUENCE ON SAUDI HEZBOLLAH
Classified by Acting Consul General Dave Speidel for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 001461
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINS PINR SA
SUBJECT: SHI'A ACTIVIST SAYS SHIRAZIS ARE MODERATING
INFLUENCE ON SAUDI HEZBOLLAH
Classified by Acting Consul General Dave Speidel for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Shi'ite political activist Mohammed Al-Shoyoukh told
PolOff that Saudi Hezbollah countenances only "peaceful"
means to achieve its social and political goals. He said
that the "Shirazis," who include the most politically active
Shi'a such as Hassan Al-Saffar and Jafar Al-Shayeb, have been
a "moderating influence" on the leaders of Saudi Hezbollah,
convincing them that recourse to violence will not help the
Saudi Shi'a community. Al-Shoyoukh brought up Saudi
Hezbollah unprompted, during a short discussion about Iran in
which he noted that Iran had "popular support" in southern
Iraq and in Lebanon through Lebanese Hezbollah. By
contrasting Saudi Hezbollah with Lebanese Hezbollah, he
implied that Iran did not have significant "popular support"
in Saudi Arabia.
2. (C) Bio note: Al-Shoyoukh is active in Shi'a political
circles: he organizes a regular "cultural, social, and even
political" forum on Tarut island and writes and lectures
through various Internet sites. A graduate of King Abdulaziz
University in Jeddah in 1999, he also undertook religious
study in 1986 in Tehran and Qom. End bio note.
(APPROVED: SPEIDEL)
OBERWETTER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINS PINR SA
SUBJECT: SHI'A ACTIVIST SAYS SHIRAZIS ARE MODERATING
INFLUENCE ON SAUDI HEZBOLLAH
Classified by Acting Consul General Dave Speidel for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Shi'ite political activist Mohammed Al-Shoyoukh told
PolOff that Saudi Hezbollah countenances only "peaceful"
means to achieve its social and political goals. He said
that the "Shirazis," who include the most politically active
Shi'a such as Hassan Al-Saffar and Jafar Al-Shayeb, have been
a "moderating influence" on the leaders of Saudi Hezbollah,
convincing them that recourse to violence will not help the
Saudi Shi'a community. Al-Shoyoukh brought up Saudi
Hezbollah unprompted, during a short discussion about Iran in
which he noted that Iran had "popular support" in southern
Iraq and in Lebanon through Lebanese Hezbollah. By
contrasting Saudi Hezbollah with Lebanese Hezbollah, he
implied that Iran did not have significant "popular support"
in Saudi Arabia.
2. (C) Bio note: Al-Shoyoukh is active in Shi'a political
circles: he organizes a regular "cultural, social, and even
political" forum on Tarut island and writes and lectures
through various Internet sites. A graduate of King Abdulaziz
University in Jeddah in 1999, he also undertook religious
study in 1986 in Tehran and Qom. End bio note.
(APPROVED: SPEIDEL)
OBERWETTER