At the same time as Saudi front groups around the world scream, whine, and organize email campaigns at the slightest criticism of Islam, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia shows us that these groups are only trying to make the rest of the world just like home sweet home—a totalitarian, Islamic supremacist state that doesn’t allow criticism: Freedom of Expression Not at Cost of Islam. (Hat tip: NC.)

JEDDAH, 15 January 2004 — Saudi Arabia will not allow anybody to attack the Islamic faith in the name of freedom of expression, Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, declared yesterday.

“This country will never accept anybody, whoever he may be, to hurt the Islamic faith, in the name of freedom of opinion or any other name,” the crown prince said in an address to the nation aired live on state television.

Prince Abdullah was giving guidelines for the national dialogue forum, which has so far held two sessions in Riyadh and Makkah with the participation of prominent intellectuals and religious experts, including women.

He said the Kingdom would go ahead with its political and economic reforms. “We will not allow anybody to stand in the way of reforms, be it by calling for stagnation or recession or any other reckless adventure,” he said.