The Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Hai'a) in Madina has arrested a man who preyed on women seeking magic solutions to their marital lives. The man, reportedly of Arab nationality, claimed he could perform acts of magic to leave women's husbands “wrapped around their little fingers,”and had garnered large amounts of money from a significant clientele acquired over four years in the districts of Madina and villages around the city. When arrested following a sting set up by the Hai'a, the man was found to be in possession of numerous articles of dubious intent, among them talismans, papers on magic arts, and necklaces tied up in curious shapes. The Hai'a head of Public Relations in Madina warned the public against falling for the “tricks of those who falsely strip them of their money,” while Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Muteiri, head of the Committee to Combat Magic and Sorcery, added that individuals claiming to be able to perform sorcery often worked under the cover of traditional healers.
