Saudi Shiite dissident dies after clash with police — media

DUBAI — A Saudi Arabian wanted for his role in violent protests calling for more rights for the Shiite Muslim minority has died from injuries sustained in a shootout with police on Friday, local media reported on Sunday.

The Sunni-ruled kingdom has been searching for a number of citizens suspected of involvement in anti-government violence in the Eastern Province, where a substantial number of the country's Shiite Muslim minority live.

Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman General Mansour Turki on Saturday said that security forces shot and wounded Bassem Ali Al Qudaihi during an exchange of fire when they tried to arrest him in the town of Al Awamiya.

"He was transferred to hospital for treatment and the necessary medical attention," state news agency SPA quoted Turki as saying.

The Arabic-language Okaz Daily later reported: "General Turki told Okaz that Qudaihi, who was taken into custody in a security operation in the town of Awamiya in the Qatif province the night before last, had died at the hospital where he had been taken, due to his injuries."

Turki had said that Qudaihi was not on a list of 23 Shiite Muslims it published in 2012 as being wanted for involvement in unrest that has led to shootings and protests in recent years.

"But he represents one of the most dangerous people wanted by security authorities in the town of Awamiya," Turki said, according to SPA, adding that Qudaihi had been found in possession of a pistol.

"Apart from leading attacks on vehicles and security positions in the town [Awamiya], he led terrorist activities, recruiting the young and training them in the use of [fire] arms and participating in riots and terrorising the peaceful and shooting at security men," he said.