The US and British intelligence agencies said in their top secret reports that their assessments show the Saudi monarchy will be toppled by massive popular protests and armed insurgency in 2014.
Informed sources told the Palestinian al-Manar weekly that palaces and residences belonging to the monarchy’s princes and royal family as well as state organizations and even the Saudi embassies and diplomatic outposts abroad will all come under attack by dissidents this year.
“People’s wrath and discontent is increasing every day, while intelligence reports show that there are armed cells lying dormant, waiting for the proper day for starting their attacks,” the sources said, citing western intelligence and think-tank reports.
“A large number of armed people are stationed in bordering areas of Saudi Arabia and Yemen ready to enter the Saudi territories to topple the ruling family,” the sources added.
Since February 2011, protesters have held demonstrations on an almost regular basis in Saudi Arabia, mainly in Qatif and Awamiyah, primarily calling for the release of all political prisoners, freedom of expression and assembly, and an end to widespread discrimination.
Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia announced plans to build two more jails in Riyadh and Jeddah to accommodate the prisoners who are mostly incarcerated for political crimes and whose number has been increasing sharply in recent months.
“Over 95% of construction works of the two prisons in Riyadh and Jeddah have ended,” Director-General of Saudi Arabia’s Prisons Department Major General Ibrahim bin Mohammed al-Hamzi said, adding that Riyadh has spent over 2bln Rials for building the two jails.
He said that the high number of prisoners jam-packed in the cells was the main reason behind the decision to build the new jails.
More than 40,000 political prisoners, mostly prisoners of conscience, are in jails across Saudi Arabia.
According to the activists, most of the detained political thinkers are being held by the government without trial or legitimate charges and have been arrested for merely looking suspicious.
In Saudi Arabia, protests and political gatherings of any kind are prohibited.
Source: FNA
R.S