Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RIYADH2683
2006-04-12 12:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
VISITING PRIEST DETAINED BY SAG IN DAMMAM,
how-toVZCZCXRO0864 PP RUEHDE DE RUEHRH #2683 1021246 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 121246Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6231 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2552 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0497
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 002683
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF SA
SUBJECT: VISITING PRIEST DETAINED BY SAG IN DAMMAM,
RELEASED TWO DAYS LATER
Classified by Consul General Dave Speidel for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 002683
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF SA
SUBJECT: VISITING PRIEST DETAINED BY SAG IN DAMMAM,
RELEASED TWO DAYS LATER
Classified by Consul General Dave Speidel for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) According to two sources in the Eastern Province's
(EP's) expatriate Indian Roman Catholic community, a Catholic
priest was detained by the SAG on April 5 while presiding
over an evening service at a large compound or farm in
Dammam. The priest, an Indian national from Kerala who was
visiting Saudi Arabia with the permission of the bishop in
Abu Dhabi to conduct services in the period leading up to
Easter, was released on April 7 and left the country April 8.
While neither source was present at the service in question,
both had heard about the event before discussing it with
PolOff on April 10 and 12 respectively. One had talked to an
EP-based Catholic priest about it, and the other had talked
with several people who were there.
2. (C) One source described the location of the service as a
"large compound with five large reception halls in Sector 91
of Dammam," and the other source said it was "a farm near the
border of Dammam and Seihat." (Note: Seihat is the first
town of the Qatif oasis and borders Dammam to the north.
These descriptions are not necessarily contradictory, as
large compounds with green areas and palm trees are called
farms. End note.) Both sources noted that the attendance at
the evening service was likely quite large, with one
estimating several hundred attendees, primarily from the
Keralan expatriate community. Their attention drawn to the
compound either by the large number of cars parked in and
around it or for another reason, several members of the
Mutawaa'in, or religious police, entered the compound and
detained the priest, the sources said.
3. (C) Note: One source cautioned without prompting that
the service at which the priest was detained was "not a
small, private gathering," and that the priest and attendees
were running a risk because of its size. The other source
mentioned that this incident was the first of its kind in
several years, to the best of his knowledge. Interestingly,
contacts in the EP Filipino Christian expatriate community
had not heard about the incident as of April 9, a testament
to the expatriate community's separation by nationality and
Christians' reluctance to talk about their religious
practices. End note.
(APPROVED: SPEIDEL)
OBERWETTER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF SA
SUBJECT: VISITING PRIEST DETAINED BY SAG IN DAMMAM,
RELEASED TWO DAYS LATER
Classified by Consul General Dave Speidel for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) According to two sources in the Eastern Province's
(EP's) expatriate Indian Roman Catholic community, a Catholic
priest was detained by the SAG on April 5 while presiding
over an evening service at a large compound or farm in
Dammam. The priest, an Indian national from Kerala who was
visiting Saudi Arabia with the permission of the bishop in
Abu Dhabi to conduct services in the period leading up to
Easter, was released on April 7 and left the country April 8.
While neither source was present at the service in question,
both had heard about the event before discussing it with
PolOff on April 10 and 12 respectively. One had talked to an
EP-based Catholic priest about it, and the other had talked
with several people who were there.
2. (C) One source described the location of the service as a
"large compound with five large reception halls in Sector 91
of Dammam," and the other source said it was "a farm near the
border of Dammam and Seihat." (Note: Seihat is the first
town of the Qatif oasis and borders Dammam to the north.
These descriptions are not necessarily contradictory, as
large compounds with green areas and palm trees are called
farms. End note.) Both sources noted that the attendance at
the evening service was likely quite large, with one
estimating several hundred attendees, primarily from the
Keralan expatriate community. Their attention drawn to the
compound either by the large number of cars parked in and
around it or for another reason, several members of the
Mutawaa'in, or religious police, entered the compound and
detained the priest, the sources said.
3. (C) Note: One source cautioned without prompting that
the service at which the priest was detained was "not a
small, private gathering," and that the priest and attendees
were running a risk because of its size. The other source
mentioned that this incident was the first of its kind in
several years, to the best of his knowledge. Interestingly,
contacts in the EP Filipino Christian expatriate community
had not heard about the incident as of April 9, a testament
to the expatriate community's separation by nationality and
Christians' reluctance to talk about their religious
practices. End note.
(APPROVED: SPEIDEL)
OBERWETTER