Saudi Arabia: An Arrest That Could Lead to Unrest

A Shiite cleric was arrested in Saudi Arabia's oil-rich Eastern Province on Feb. 27 after calling for a constitutional monarchy during a Friday sermon. The arrest, likely a pre-emptive move on the Saudi government's part as it watches unrest sweep through the Persian Gulf region, could end up sparking protests among the kingdom's Shiite minority and raise the threat of an Iranian-backed destabilization campaign.