MBC chief declines Al-Rashed’s resignation

The resignation came after a controversial statement about Wahabism was made on a segment of the series “Islam and the West,” suggesting that the strict Salafi movement played an important role in the West’s association of terrorism and extremism with Islam.
The comment sparked outrage and condemnation from Saudis. Al-Rashed is perceived by many in the region to be pro-Western.
Praising Al-Rashed for not passing the buck and blaming subordinates, the MBC Group chief said he would deal with the issue when he returned from abroad. The MBC Group owns Al-Arabiya.
Al-Rashed’s resignation attempt followed rumors that he was asked to stop writing his column in Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, a rumor denied by the paper’s Editor in Chief Tariq Al-Humaid.