Saudi Shia Cleric Sheikh Nemer, whose arrest sparked the latest violence.

Source: the star online, Malaysia

Mohamed al-Felfel was one of two men shot dead on Sunday in what an Interior Ministry spokesman described as a “criminal act” after protests broke out following the arrest of Shi’ite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr on sedition charges.

Activists say the two men were killed by police snipers stationed on rooftops. The Saudi Interior Ministry denied the report.

The cleric’s arrest and killings have raised the temperature in one of the most volatile regions in Saudi Arabia, where the kingdom’s Shi’ite Muslim minority is concentrated. The U.S. embassy in Riyadh has warned its citizens to exercise caution when travelling to the area.

The Eastern Province is home to a Shi’ite population that has long complained of discrimination and marginalisation by the Sunni ruling family. The Saudi government denies the Shi’ite allegations.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter and a key regional ally of the United States, has so far escaped the “Arab Spring” protests that forced leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya out of power.

Activists posted videos of what they said was Felfel’s funeral late on Tuesday in Qatif, showing large crowds, many of them men in white robes, chanting “Down with Mohammed bin Fahd” in reference to the governor of the Eastern Province.

They also emailed pictures of men holding placards attacking the royal family. It was not possible to independently verify the authenticity of the recordings and photographs or to determine where or when they were taken.

The Rasid news website said Saudi security forces stayed away from the funeral procession, which passed through the main Abdulaziz Street in the centre of Qatif.

Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki said security forces had worked hard to ensure the safety of the mourners.

“Some trouble-seekers took advantage of the gathering to hide in their midst and divert the context of this event which led the security forces to do their duty to keep the peace and ensure the safety of those participating in the funeral procession,” he told Reuters.

Activists said the funeral of Akbar al-Shakhouri, the second man killed on Sunday, was due to take place later on Wednesday.

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