The group on the social networking site against Abdul Aziz Al-Hossain, who has been in office for more than 22 years, began to form when local newspapers published a picture of his ex-wife standing in front of the city’s municipality building with a placard accusing him of theft and corruption.

Director of Madinah police Brig. Abdul Mohsen Al-Radadi confirmed that police were informed about the woman, who was detained and handed over to the Prosecution and Investigation Commission for further questioning, prior to compiling a case against her in the courts.

Video-sharing site YouTube was also used to protest against the mayor. A clip on the website showed an old man protesting against Al-Hossain.

A local newspaper in the Western Province recently accused Madinah municipality of illegally confiscating nine million square meters of land.

It also claimed the municipality had canceled the construction of an exit at the first ring road that would have led to the central area around the Prophet’s Mosque and designated the land for a hotel instead.

The municipality however denied the accusations and said it did not have the power to grant building licenses in the central area.

“This is the sole responsibility of the Al-Madinah Development Commission,” a statement from the authority said.

An official source at the municipality has also denied claims that a construction license was granted for a building in a military area.

The official said those who were granted construction licenses in the area had been holding ownership deeds since 1980.

“You cannot prevent any citizen from building on his own piece of land,” the official said.

Online groups and forums discussing municipal issues on the Internet are becoming a growing phenomenon in the Kingdom.

Madinah residents also recently launched a campaign against container trucks in the city.