AFP: RIYADH — Prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi resigned on Sunday from the helm of Al-Watan daily in a move believed linked to official displeasure with articles critical of the state's harsh Islamic rules.
Al-Watan announced that Khashoggi, 52, was stepping down as editor-in-chief "to focus on his personal projects," in a statement published on its website and in its Sunday edition.
The statement from Prince Bandar bin Khaled al-Faisal, chief executive of the company that owns Al-Watan, praised Khashoggi as "a loyal son ... who left a clear mark on its progress."
Prince Bandar named deputy editor Sulayman al-Aquili as interim editor-in-chief.
The resignation, which came hours after Khashoggi celebrated his third marriage on Saturday, was unexpected, and Saudi journalists said they believed it was the result of pressure from high levels of the government.
It followed a year of tensions with authorities and religious conservatives over numerous articles and columns viewed as critical of the ultra-conservative Wahhabi Islam which dominates Saudi life.
The move came three days after Al-Watan published a controversial column criticising Salafism. >>> Paul Handley, AFP | Sunday, May 16, 2010
ENNAHAR ONLINE: RIYADH - Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi liberal journalist familiar with Osama bin Laden before he created Al-Qaeda, said Sunday he was leaving the daily Al-Watan of which he has made a progressive forum.
Mr. Khashoggi, 52, said in a statement that he was resigning from his post as editor for "care of personal projects".
In 2003, he was forced to leave the newspaper after an editorial criticizing the 14th century Muslim theologian, Ibn Taymiyya, whose ideas inspired Wahhabism, a conservative interpretation of Islam followed in Saudi Arabia. >>> Ennahar | Sunday, May 16, 2010
AP: RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — A prominent Saudi journalist who conducted several interviews with Osama bin Laden and once tried to persuade him to reconcile with the Saudi royal family resigned Sunday as editor of the nation's leading newspaper.
Several Arab news websites said Jamal Khashoggi was fired because of articles in Al-Watan criticizing Saudi Arabia's conservative application of Islam and the religious police who enforce adherence to it. But the newspaper said Khashoggi resigned to pursue other personal plans.
The journalist could not be reached for comment Sunday.
Khashoggi interviewed and traveled with bin Laden at times between 1987 and 1995, including in Afghanistan where he wrote about the battle against the Soviets. >>> © AP | Sunday, May 16, 2010
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