- The eight male pilgrims, all of Iraqi descent, said they were beaten and detained overnight on Sunday by the Saudi Mutawa’a, or religious police, because of their nationalities and the fact they were holding Shi’ite-style prayers.
“While in police custody we were handcuffed and savagely beaten with chairs, bats, sticks, shoes and police radio communication devices,” 24-year-old pilgrim Amir Taki said.
**He said they were refused food, water, medicine and access to toilets. One was told they would be “killed and thrown to the dogs”.
The group, aged between 16 to 26, said they were not allowed to contact their embassies or relatives.
However, using a cell phone hidden by one of the pilgrims, they were able to contact family members and were released after intervention from the embassies.***
Links:- http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1054770420070810?pageNumber=1
Latest news from around the world | The Guardian
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article2853826.ece
BBC NEWS | UK | Britons released after Saudi row
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/11/world/middleeast/11saudi.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,292927,00.html
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=21680
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/11/europe/EU-GEN-Britain-Saudi-Arabia-Pilgrims.php
Since they were Iraqis, has this got to do with the saudi’s losing the football match over the Iraqis?