Saudis Oust Anti-Extremist Editor

(New York Times) - Neil MacFarquhar The Saudi government Tuesday fired the editor-in-chief of the Al Watan daily newspaper, Jamal Khashoggi, who had opened its pages to those who wished to examine the prevalence of Islamic militancy and had been one of the leading voices calling for openness and reform in the kingdom. The paper also had opened an unprecedented petition on its Web site addressed to the country's rulers, asking them to take action to curb extremist religious discourse. The press falls under the direction of Prince Nayef, the interior minister. Said one writer at Al Watan, "They are doing what the radicals want. If they fired Jamal Khashoggi, nothing is going to change."


2003-05-28 00:00:00

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