JEDDAH: ABDULLAH AL-BARGI
Published — Tuesday 21 January 2014
Last update 21 January 2014 3:08 pm
A popular Saudi talk show host has slammed certain religious figures for recruiting young Saudi men to fight in Syria under the guise of jihad.
Dawood Al-Shirian, host of Al-Thamina ma Dawood” (Eight O’ Clock with Dawood), made the comments while hosting the distressed mother of a 17-year-old Saudi boy who was allegedly deceived into traveling to Syria a month ago.
Al-Shirian said some of these figures use Twitter and radical media outlets to raise funds to support their so-called jihadi causes while enjoying lives away from the war zones.
"Saudi scholars have realized that what's happening in Syria does not qualify for jihad because (the conflict) has turned into a gang war. These scholars are not saying so because they fear losing their popularity."
In response, some scholars have criticized Al-Shirian for making these claims. They said they have not made calls for a holy war in Syria and threatened to sue him if he did not provide proof or apologize.
The mother of the teenager told Al-Shirian that her son, Misfer, was allegedly kidnapped. Misfer had called his brother and told him he was on a jihad mission in Syria, she said.
The mother said she last heard from Misfer about two weeks ago. "I heard someone telling my son what to say to me on the phone," she said. "When I asked to talk to the man, I heard them beating my son."
She said Misfer had asked her to "pray" for his return to the Kingdom. She also claimed that the man on the phone had told her that Misfer would "not be back" and then hung up.
The mother said someone got him into Syria to join radical fighters there. She said when her husband had attempted to harm Misfer, he was supposed to have been taken to a shelter in Abha. "The shelter did not take the case seriously," she said.
"I don't know if my son is dead or alive," she said weeping and called on the government to arrest and punish those involved in misguiding youth.
Dawood Al-Shirian, host of Al-Thamina ma Dawood” (Eight O’ Clock with Dawood), made the comments while hosting the distressed mother of a 17-year-old Saudi boy who was allegedly deceived into traveling to Syria a month ago.
Al-Shirian said some of these figures use Twitter and radical media outlets to raise funds to support their so-called jihadi causes while enjoying lives away from the war zones.
"Saudi scholars have realized that what's happening in Syria does not qualify for jihad because (the conflict) has turned into a gang war. These scholars are not saying so because they fear losing their popularity."
In response, some scholars have criticized Al-Shirian for making these claims. They said they have not made calls for a holy war in Syria and threatened to sue him if he did not provide proof or apologize.
The mother of the teenager told Al-Shirian that her son, Misfer, was allegedly kidnapped. Misfer had called his brother and told him he was on a jihad mission in Syria, she said.
The mother said she last heard from Misfer about two weeks ago. "I heard someone telling my son what to say to me on the phone," she said. "When I asked to talk to the man, I heard them beating my son."
She said Misfer had asked her to "pray" for his return to the Kingdom. She also claimed that the man on the phone had told her that Misfer would "not be back" and then hung up.
The mother said someone got him into Syria to join radical fighters there. She said when her husband had attempted to harm Misfer, he was supposed to have been taken to a shelter in Abha. "The shelter did not take the case seriously," she said.
"I don't know if my son is dead or alive," she said weeping and called on the government to arrest and punish those involved in misguiding youth.
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