Saudi security forces surrounded a Riyadh mosque and helicopters clattered overhead Friday amid calls by a London-based al-Qaeda mouthpiece Saudi dissident for demonstrations against the royal family, but worshippers dispersed peacefully after prayers. It was the second day that the security forces clamped down and that Saudis failed to respond in large numbers to the call for protests by Saad al-Fagih, head of the Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia.
| Think they're ignoring him? Or is it just that they don't want to get their turbans dented? |
A day earlier, police chased away a few people who responded to the call to protest. There were reports of several people arrested, but the government has not confirmed the arrests and has not commented on the protests. During Friday prayers, security forces closed off roads around Qasr al-Hukum Mosque in downtown Riyadh, located next to the city government headquarters and a courtyard where criminals are beheaded. |