A Yemeni source said that Yemeni preacher Sheikh Abdul Majeed Al-Zindani has been under house arrest in Saudi Arabia.
The source, who is close to Sheikh Al-Zindani, asserted that “Saudi authorities restricted the movement of the preacher within its territory and chose two cities he is allowed to travel between, Mecca and Riyadh. The measures included preventing him from reaching other cities, including Jeddah and Medina,” according to Arabi21.
The source also clarified that Al-Zindani is banned from travelling to any other country and from hosting Saudi personalities or holding media meetings, at a time when it is thought he intends to go to Turkey to join his children there.
The source pointed out that Riyadh refused to renew the residence of a number of religious figures who are living there, or to allow their children to study, without revealing the motives behind the measures that were taken against them.
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The Yemeni source added that the prominent Yemeni preacher has suffered from marginalization since his arrival to KSA, before being sentenced to house arrest. He and his fellow preachers and Islamic scholars, who escaped from the brutal Houthis and sought refuge to Saudi Arabia, did not receive the appropriate welcome and respect.
Sheikh Abdul Majeed Al-Zindani issued a statement supporting the Saudi-led “Firmness Storm” in his country and called for public denunciation against Houthi militants and the forces loyal to their ousted ally Ali Abdullah Saleh. But that did not grant him residence conditions worthy of his status, according to the source.
The Yemeni preacher, who is wanted by the US authorities, escaped from Houthis after they took control of the capital Sana’a in 2014, towards the city of Taiz (southwest), before heading to Saudi territories through the port of Al-Wadia (east), in a journey described as “adventure” after passing through Houthi checkpoints.
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A few days ago, the owner of “Mujtahid Al-Emirates” twitter account revealed that there is a plan to assassinate Al-Zindani by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed.
“Mujtahid Al-Emirates” said in his twitter account that “there is a plan led by Mohammed bin Zayed to assassinate the Yemeni sheikh Al-Zindani and to accuse Iranian cells in order to justify the incident.”
The talk about the situation of Yemeni leaders who are under house arrest in Saudi Arabia is not new. In September, the Yemeni activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Tawakkol Karman, said that the Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi has been under house arrest in Riyadh and prevented from returning to his country.
In a Tweet, Karman confirmed that “our president is under house arrest in Riyadh, according to confirmed information and this is certain.”
