Saudi security authorities are in pursuit of a sixty year old man for having daily prayers in his house in Kohobar in a continuation to a campaign to close Shia mosques which so far led to closure of five mosques.
Sources informed that members of the Criminal Intelligence Department informed Hajj Hussain Al-Rashid, the custodian of the mosques within his house, to cease Jamaa prayers immediately.
Sources said that the authorities are still after the old man to force him signing an undertaking not to have a prayers place within his house.
Jamaa prayers are led by several Imams unlike other SHia mosques in the same city.
This is the fourth Shia mosque that is closed in addition to one mosque for Ismaili Shia.
Power and water were cut off on the Ismaili mosque on last Thursday which forced prayers to perform Friday pray in an intense heat and humidity.
The recent developments came after of 14 months from the Authorities campaign to close Shia mosques in Khobar which is a home for about 20,000 Shia citizens .
During the authorities campaign, there were several arrests and police calls for several clerics and leaders like Hajj Abdullah Al-Muhanna the custodian of a mosque within his house in Al-Jiser area.
It should be noted here that authorities refuse to issue permits for building Shia mosques outside Shia dense areas like Qatif, Al-Hasa and Najran.
Authorities refuses also to provide any justification for permit issuance refusal.
Shia delegation from Khobar met King Abdullah few weeks back and discussed with him the case of Shia mosques closure. The King promised to look into the matter.
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