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| Explosion Near Shiite Mosque Kills 4 in Eastern Saudi Arabia | Explosion Near Shiite Mosque Kills 4 in Eastern Saudi Arabia |
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| BEIRUT, Lebanon — An explosion near a Shiite mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia on Friday, which officials called an attempted terrorist attack, killed at least four people, state news media reported, one week after the Islamic State extremist group claimed responsibility for a similar attack that killed 21 worshipers. | |
| The two attacks, both targeting Shiite mosques during the largest prayer gathering of the week, have raised fears that the sectarian passions fueling conflicts across the Middle East could increasingly pose a domestic threat to the kingdom. | The two attacks, both targeting Shiite mosques during the largest prayer gathering of the week, have raised fears that the sectarian passions fueling conflicts across the Middle East could increasingly pose a domestic threat to the kingdom. |
| Saudi Arabia, a Sunni monarchy with a Shiite minority that lives mostly in the country’s oil-rich east, has been accused of escalating sectarian rhetoric against Shiites to rally support for its air offensive in neighboring Yemen against Shiite Houthi rebels. | |
| Saudi leaders deny that sectarianism has played a role in their decision to form a coalition of nations to bomb the Houthis, who have seized much of the country and forced the internationally recognized president into exile. | Saudi leaders deny that sectarianism has played a role in their decision to form a coalition of nations to bomb the Houthis, who have seized much of the country and forced the internationally recognized president into exile. |
| But the country’s powerful clerical establishment considers Shiite Islam a distortion of the Muslim faith, and Saudi Shiites are often accused of being loyal to the kingdom’s regional rival, Iran. | But the country’s powerful clerical establishment considers Shiite Islam a distortion of the Muslim faith, and Saudi Shiites are often accused of being loyal to the kingdom’s regional rival, Iran. |
| The attack on Friday near Al Anoud mosque, in the eastern city of Dammam, where many Shiites live, took place as security officials were inspecting a suspicious car. | |
| “When the security men headed for the car, the car blew up,” Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki, a spokesman for the Saudi Interior Ministry, said in an interview on state television. | |
| At least four people were killed, General Turki said, including one person who was believed to have been the driver of the car. It was unclear whether the car itself was equipped with explosives or whether a suicide bomber who intended to enter the mosque was in the car. | |
| There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, which came a week after a suicide bomber blew himself up inside another Shiite mosque in the country’s east, killing 21 people. | |
| The Islamic State group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria and has long threatened to strike inside the kingdom, claimed responsibility for that attack. Saudi officials said the attacker was a Saudi citizen who had taken direction from the Islamic State, which is also known as ISIS or ISIL. | The Islamic State group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria and has long threatened to strike inside the kingdom, claimed responsibility for that attack. Saudi officials said the attacker was a Saudi citizen who had taken direction from the Islamic State, which is also known as ISIS or ISIL. |
| Saudi officials have blamed several other, mostly small-scale attacks in recent months on the Islamic State, only some of which the extremists have claimed. | Saudi officials have blamed several other, mostly small-scale attacks in recent months on the Islamic State, only some of which the extremists have claimed. |
| The Saudi government has condemned the attacks as terrorism, and the grand mufti, the state’s top religious authority, called the first attack a “criminal” act against the “sons of the homeland.” The Saudi interior minister and crown prince, Mohammed bin Nayef, flew to the Eastern Province to meet with victims and their families. | The Saudi government has condemned the attacks as terrorism, and the grand mufti, the state’s top religious authority, called the first attack a “criminal” act against the “sons of the homeland.” The Saudi interior minister and crown prince, Mohammed bin Nayef, flew to the Eastern Province to meet with victims and their families. |
| But in one exchange broadcast on state television and later posted on YouTube, a resident raised the issue of the private Saudi television station Wesal TV, where hard-line clerics often air anti-Shiite views. | But in one exchange broadcast on state television and later posted on YouTube, a resident raised the issue of the private Saudi television station Wesal TV, where hard-line clerics often air anti-Shiite views. |
| “If the government does not do its part, permit me, your highness, it is a partner in this crime,” the resident said. | “If the government does not do its part, permit me, your highness, it is a partner in this crime,” the resident said. |
| “The state will remain the state and will ensure security, no matter who violates it,” Prince Mohammed said. “So let us all be one hand with the state.” | “The state will remain the state and will ensure security, no matter who violates it,” Prince Mohammed said. “So let us all be one hand with the state.” |
| “We are with the state,” the resident replied. | “We are with the state,” the resident replied. |