Saudi Gazette report DAMMAM – A source in the Ministry of Justice said documents and files stored in the Qatif court have not been destroyed by the fire that was started inside the court late Saturday. Nor did the incident deter personnel from resuming work the following morning. Sheikh Salim Al-Shamsi, director of the ministry's branch in the Eastern Province, blamed the arson on vandals seeking to disrupt security. “I'm totally positive that the perpetrators were driven by a group of men who don't care about national security and stability. The perpetrators were brainwashed by this group which aims to carry out the agenda of foreign players who wish this country no good.” Anyone who dares to commit acts that disrupt security should be punished and deterred, Sheikh Al-Shamsi added. He called upon the elders of Qatif to advise young men against carrying out such actions. “Young men who don't listen to advice should be reported to authorities.” Sheikh Muhammad Al-Jirani, judge of endowments and inheritance cases in Qatif said, “National security is one of the most sacred duties we should fulfill. It's incumbent upon us all to protect it. Qatif is part and parcel of this precious country. We're blessed to have such leadership.” He condemned attacks on governmental buildings or security officers. Dr. Khalid Al-Habas, adviser to the Arab League Secretary General, said loyal citizens would not accept or condone the recent acts in Qatif. The Eastern Province is a strategic region and security forces have full authority to deal with and respond to any acts of sabotage. Al-Habas strongly believes that sheikhs and scholars should advise these misguided youths from straying into such deviant activities. “This idea has proved to be effective in dealing with terrorists and brought a lot of them to the right path.” He contends that there are foreign forces involved in the incidents at Qatif, forces who manipulate the youth to achieve their goals. “I'm talking about Iran. It supports riots in Bahrain and the Eastern Province and tries to use young men as tools to cover up for itself and deflect global attention away from its precarious political, security and economic situation. Iran targets the Kingdom because of the important role the Kingdom plays in the region.” Dr. Anwar Ishqi, director of Middle East Strategic Studies Center, said the Kingdom should not allow this form of violence to continue and has the right to respond to any attack. The Kingdom's Sunnis and Shiites co-existed in perfect harmony until recently when Iran tried to play the Shiite card and create tension between the two communities.
