The Religious Policeman

Someone asked about this person yesterday, who has apparently been re-arrested, having been held without charge for some years earlier. To be honest I'd not heard of him, and this is not the sort of country where you just walk into the Police Station and ask about political prisoners that they are holding. However I did turn this up:

TEXT OF USAMA BIN LADIN'S AUDIO TAPE: 14th February, 2003.

Finally, I advise myself and my Muslim brothers with the fear of Allah in secret and in open, to increase in supplications and humble themselves before Allah. Perhaps Allah may accept our repentance, relieve our calamity and release our imprisoned brothers from the hands of the Americans and their agents, especially the two Sheikhs, Umar Abdur-Rahman and Saeed bin Zuair, and our brothers in Guantanamo Bay

so we know who his friends are. As the saying goes, "With friends like that, who needs enemies?"

It's a reminder that the House of Saud actually faces opposition from both sides. On the one hand are those who would like to introduce decadent Western concepts such as democracy, civil rights, womens' rights, religious freedom etc. On the other hand there are those who think that the government is "too soft", and that Saudi Arabia should become more like Talibaan Afghanistan. Perhaps we could have a vote?