6 Islamic States to Present 'Attack on Mecca' Case to the U.N.

Jeddah, Riyadh – Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet reiterated on Monday its strong condemnation of attacks perpetrated by Yemen’s Houthi militias against holy sites in the Kingdom.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, chaired the Cabinet session held at Al-Yamamah palace in Riyadh on Monday.

In a statement issued following the meeting, the Cabinet reiterated its support for the outcome of the extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states, which was held earlier this month in Mecca.

The Cabinet stressed that the Kingdom would never be lenient to protect the two holy mosques.

It added that the OIC foreign affairs ministers have underscored the importance of stopping the hideous practices of Houthi militias and their supporters. It also described launching a ballistic missile towards Mecca as a flagrant provocation of Muslim feelings.

Foreign ministers of the OIC member states held an emergency meeting in Mecca earlier this month to discuss the attack launched by Houthi militias and allies of ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh against holy sites in the Kingdom.

Participants called on member states and the international community to take serious and effective steps to prevent the recurrence of such attacks in the future.

Last month, Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted a ballistic missile some 65 kilometers from Mecca, noting that the missile had been fired from Yemen by Houthi rebels.

Meanwhile, well-informed diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that six Islamic countries were drafting a letter that would be sent by the OIC to the United Nations to call for criminalizing Houthis’ attack against holy mosques in Mecca.

The sources added that the OIC executive committee, which is formed of Egypt, Turkey and Gambia, would coordinate with the Organization’s secretariat general and the representatives of the OIC foreign ministers, which include Uzbekistan, Kuwait and the Ivory Coast, to supervise the drafting of the letter to the U.N.

6 Islamic States to Present 'Attack on Mecca' Case to the U.N.