Sunday, September 28, 2014

Saudi top Shiite rabble rouser dies from injuries sustained in shootout with police

DUBAI (Reuters) - A Saudi Arabian wanted for his role in violent protests calling for more rights for the Shi'ite Muslim minority has died from injuries sustained in a shootout with police on Friday, local media reported on Sunday.

The Sunni-ruled kingdom has been searching for a number of citizens suspected of involvement in anti-government violence in the Eastern Province, where a substantial number of the country's Shi'ite Muslim minority live.

Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman General Mansour Turki on Saturday said that security forces shot and wounded Bassem Ali al-Qudaihi during an exchange of fire when they tried to arrest him in the town of al-Awamiya.

"He was transferred to hospital for treatment and the necessary medical attention," state news agency SPA quoted Turki as saying.