I learned about the recent suicide attack in Riyadh through Al-Jazeera satellite TV channel while I was out of town. The channel called me twice on my mobile phone and urged me to make a statement. The call came a mere 13 minutes after the bombing. I apologized in firm language, declined to be interviewed and told the caller that I thought Al-Jazeera was a dangerous media tool that has contributed in the wrong way to inciting violence and encouraging people to commit violent acts in Saudi Arabia.
I see the channel as a tool for misleading people and distorting Saudi social and political life. Its ability to project inaccurate images is amazing. I hold this channel responsible for what is happening in the Kingdom.
Al-Jazeera has contributed to the emergence of terrorists targeting the Saudi people with its inflammatory campaigns and by giving airtime to scores of Arab hypocrites whose main concern is money and fame. These people consider criticizing the Kingdom the easiest way to serve their personal interests. And I am not talking about Saudis who agree to be interviewed by the channel; they are free to do so. What I am talking about are those individuals from among our Arab brothers who continue to criticize and attack the Kingdom.
There are many of them, and they seem to have forgotten the problems facing their own countries and direct all their attention to the Kingdom. They are self-appointed experts on Saudi affairs even though many of them have never set foot in the country.
It might not be an exaggeration to say that Al-Jazeera and its hungry guests are not exactly displeased with what happened in Riyadh on Nov. 9. It certainly is not an exaggeration to say that Al-Jazeera’s influence on our youth with its deception and lies far exceed that of any Western organization or entity. Al-Jazeera uses the Arabic language to speak to an Arab audience and so is able to reach those who cannot easily differentiate between objectivity and bias. This is where the problem lies.
Al-Jazeera must respect itself and respect the sanctity of the human lives that were lost that sad night in Riyadh. It must immediately stop its frivolous behavior and show some respect for Arab and Muslim men, women and children. As for me, I have asked Al-Jazeera to delete my name from their list of people to call.
