Saudi Arabia: Writer flees after threats for 'offending Islam'

Riyadh, 8 Feb. (AKI) - Saudi Arabian writer Hamza Kashghri went into hiding in an undisclosed Southeast Asian country after recieving threats for allegedly offending Islam in a message posted on online social network site Twitter, according to the Al-Arabiya news channel.

In his message, Kashghri reportedly compared his poetry to some versus in the Koran and made offensive statements about the Prophet Muhammad, the report said.

The Twitter message unleashed a campaign against him, resulting in threats that prompted him to flee.

After leaving Saudi Arabia, Kashghri went to Jordan and the United Arab Emirates before reaching Southeast Asia.