LONDON [MENL] -- Saudi Arabia has launched a crackdown on Christian
activists amid heightened Islamic unrest in the kingdom.
Christian sources in the kingdom said at least 15 Christians from Africa
have been arrested in Jedda over the last few months for conducting
non-Islamic services in private homes. Three of them are said to have been
tortured in prison.The Christians are nationals from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Nigeria. The
sources did not report any arrest of Western Christians. About 50,000
Americans are said to be in Saudi Arabia, many of them from the military or
defense industries.Saudi Arabia does not allow the worship of any other religion other than
Islam. Jews are not allowed in the kingdom and Christians are warned that
they risk arrest if they participate in private prayer gatherings. This,
despite a directive by the Saudi Interior Ministry that allows private
worship.The sources said this is the first confirmed report of physical torture
of Christians detained for worship. The detainees have not been allowed to
see their families.The Christian rights group, International Christian Concern, said the
United States has raised the issue of the latest crackdown with Saudi
diplomats. The group said Riyad has pledged to Washington that the
Christians will be released.In Washington, the U. S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
urged the Bush administration not to shelve human rights concerns over Saudi
Arabia and other countries that are reported to violate religious rights. In
a letter sent by the commission to President George Bush the panel demanded
that, "in forging alliances against terrorism, the United States not
compromise its commitment to human rights including religious freedom and
democracy. We oppose such policy trade-offs."The Saudi crackdown comes amid increased Islamic unrest in the kingdom.
Last week, a suicide bomber blew himself up in the eastern city of Khobar.
The blast killed an American national and wounded four other people.
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