Saudi held in Malaysia for insulting Islam

Herald Globe (IANS) Friday 10th February, 2012

A Saudi Arabian newspaper columnist who fled his country after being accused of insulting Islam has been arrested in Malaysia, said police sources Friday.

Just as the suspect landed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Wednesday, the police arrested him with the help of the Interpol, Xinhua quoted the sources as saying.

The columnist, Hamza Kashgari, caused outrage among tens of thousands of Saudi Arabians by posting an article on social networking websites on Prophet Muhammad's birthday commemoration last week and insulted Islam.

Thousands of scholars, students and online users, infuriated by the man's open sacrilege, filed lawsuits against him, urging authorities to prosecute him.

Blasphemy is a crime punishable by execution under Saudi Arabia's Islamic law.