A well-known Indian Islamic preacher Dr. Zakir Naik granted Saudi citizenship by King Salman. The citizenship has been granted to him as a result of him being wanted by Indian authorities for suspected terrorist offences.
According to sources King Salman had intruded to grant Zakir Naik citizenship in order to protect him from the International Police Organization (Interpol).
Dr. Zakir Naik has recently been under multiple accusations. The 51-year-old preacher is the founder of Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). India has accused him of playing a role is a terror related case, some offenders of terror attacks have also committed that they had been inspired by Naik. He also has money laundering charges against him. He has been staying in Saudi Arabia to avoid being arrested by India.
Indian press reported that law enforcement agencies were planning to revoke Zakir Naik’s passport after which he would be forced to return to India. However, they didn’t expect Saudi Arabia would grant him citizenship to save him.
Dr. Zakir Naik previously had been denied entry to Canada and UK in 2012 after he expressed his alleged support for al Qaeda. His channel Peace TV has been banned in UK, Canada and Bangladesh. He has been retained for purportedly supporting hatred between different groups on religious grounds.
