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Saudi Arabia Names Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist Group

 

Saudi Arabia officially declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group and threatened those who take sides with them. According to a Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry spokesman an official document, which punishes those who support terrorist organizations, has been signed by King Abdullah.

The Muslim Brotherhood has been pursued by a number of Middle Eastern states. Saudi Arabia has called back its ambassador from Qatar, a state which supports the Brotherhood. While the Brotherhood rejected the new document, the new Egyptian government applauded the decision made by the Saudi Arabian king.

 


Saudi Arabia has also named other terrorist groups, including al Qaeda, in the document. It stated that anyone who challenged the Saudi leader would have to face the consequences. The new law bans terrorist groups from meeting in private and in public or speaking to the media.

Saudi Arabian officials are afraid of the possibility that many young Saudis might become an enemy of the monarchy once they have come back from fighting on the side of the rebels in Syria. Saudi clergymen have encouraged young citizens to support Syrian opposition group and the government has also financed some rebel groups in Syria.


The kingdom is thought to be under pressure by the US, which wants the Syrian government overthrown, but does not want the country to fall into the hands of terrorists or conservative Muslims.

 

Related Topics

 

Words

  • ambassador = a person who represents their country abroad
  • challenge = to be against
  • clergymen = religious people who have a function in Islam
  • encourage = to say that you should do something
  • face the consequences = to be punished
  • overthrow = remove from power
  • pursue = to treat badly
  • sign = to put your name on a document
  • spokesman = a person who officially speaks for a country or government
  • take sides = to support or help someone