Riyadh paper blasts Aljazeera coverage
A leading Saudi newspaper has lashed out at Qatar’s Aljazeera television, saying its coverage of this week’s bombing in the kingdom was aimed at inciting more violence.
The daily al-Riyadh, which often reflects the government’s thinking, also warned neighbouring Qatar on Thursday against using the network to allegedly battle Saudi Arabia.
Ties between Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been frosty since last year. Riyadh recalled its ambassador to Doha in September 2002. Tensions have eased but ties remain cool.
“It is not in Qatar’s interest to destabilise the kingdom’s security because we are all linked together,” said the editorial.
“But it is ironic that Qatar should re-ignite the animosity for the same reasons that shape the complex that a tiny emirate has towards a bigger country, and use that annoying Aljazeera as a tool to incite people after the Riyadh bombings.”
The Arabic satellite channel, which has no office in Saudi Arabia, interviewed exiled Saudi dissidents after the blast who criticised the ruling Saud family, saying it was their oppression that brought about such attacks.
Aljazeera’s correspondents have been expelled from several Arab countries for their hard-hitting reports in a region where a lot of the media are state controlled.