JEDDAH, 9 June — Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmad has said that last Wednesday’s shooting incident at a Taif mosque, in which the imam shot his father-in-law after the latter stabbed him in the back, was an isolated incident and so should be viewed by the public in that context.
Prince Ahmad stated that, as it was a crime committed in an entirely personal context, it should not be taken as symbolizing any trend or phenomenon.
It was also revealed yesterday that the murdered man was in fact the muezzin (the official responsible for calling people to prayer) at the mosque.
Both the imam and the muezzin were known for their excellent character when they were appointed, according to worshipers at the mosque.
“What happened at the Taif mosque was disturbing, of course, because the last thing we want is for such a place to become a scene of violence,” the prince said in a statement issued to the press and carried by Okaz.
The imam reportedly fired at his father-in-law shortly before afternoon prayers, after he himself had been stabbed.
The old man died after being admitted to King Faisal Hospital, and the imam was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit, where he remains in a stable condition.
The prince added that while there is a strong police presence everywhere in the Kingdom, there is no way of preventing crimes of passion.
“We hope that those who enter mosques are safe. Still, thefts do sometimes occur inside them. Even shoes are stolen from outside on occasion. However, it remains true that crime is still very rare, both in mosques and on university campuses,” the prince said.
The prince also stressed the need for a police presence at markets, celebrations and other public gatherings where large numbers of people congregate.
“Police are always present near mosques so they can facilitate the movement of traffic or keep an eye on beggars and hawkers,” he added.
Saud ibn Taleb, undersecretary for financial and administrative matters at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowment, Call and Guidance, has ruled out the possibility of his ministry appointing security guards at mosques in the light of a crime committed at the Taif mosque.
He said no man in his right mind would have committed such a crime, particularly in the sacred precincts of a house of worship, implying that to change the law now would in effect be to legislate for the acts of madmen.
