Saudi king meets militant cleric

ISN SECURITY WATCH (Thursday, 12 January: 13.02 CET) – The ruler of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, has held talks with radical Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Saudi state television broadcast pictures of their discussions and of the king apparently showing al-Sadr around his palace in Mina, according to the AFP news agency.

Al-Sadr said the meeting was "to strengthen relations between the two countries," and expressed his fears for the future of Iraq: "I am pessimistic. Fanaticism and branding others as apostates dominate now."

The militant cleric led a rebellion against US-led forces in Baghdad, Najaf and Basra in 2004.