Saudi Shiites fear a Sunni backlash Regional tensions could provoke a rollback of recent gains

From: International Herald Tribune | Date: February 6, 2007| Author: | Copyright information

Hassan M. Fattah and Rasheed Abou Al-Samh
International Herald Tribune
02-06-2007
As young men beat their chests in street processions marking the Shiite Muslim holiday of Ashura in this Shiite stronghold in eastern Saudi Arabia, Ibrahim al-Mugaiteeb looked on nervously, bracing for the region's political conflicts to close in on this downtrodden community.With sectarian tensions rising between Sunnis and Shiites throughout the Middle East and pressure growing on the Saudi government from the country's Sunni leadership, Saudi Shiites, who have made great strides in recent years, are worried ...

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