It is unclear whether the authorities are holding Nimr in the provincial building or have referred him to security headquarters in Qatif or Dammam for questioning.

The authorities have summoned al-Nimr more than once and detained him for several days in May 2006.

Nimr’s arrest comes after a series of statements he has made criticizing the status of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia, particularly for Shiite citizens.

In a meeting last year with the deputy commander of the Sharqiya area, Jalwa Bin Abd al-Aziz, in Dammam, al-Nimr gave him a written petition containing a series of Shiite demands in politics, religion, and education.

Early this year, al-Nimr urged the formation of an opposition religious front that he called the Rightly-Guided Opposition Front, but it has not yet been formed. According to al-Nimr the front should combat “social corruption, the clerical establishment, and the political injustice experienced by Shiite citizens in Saudi Arabia.”

Eyewitnesses said on Saturday that several security patrols had taken up positions at the northern and southern entrances of al-Awamiya, the hometown of Sheikh al-Nimr and the stronghold of his supporters.

Other witnesses noticed a heavy police presence patrolling the streets of the town, located in northern part of Qatif.

Al-Awamiya is currently the site of popular agitation after the news of al-Nimr’s arrest quickly spread. Analysts fear the agitation will lead to clashes if the sheikh is not quickly released, particularly considering the notable security presence in al-Awamiya and the checkpoints now set up in various parts of the Qatif province.

Source: www.watan.com

August 24, 2008