The Independent of London headlined this weekend that "Historic Mecca, the cradle of Islam, is being buried in an unprecedented onslaught by religious zealots."  These particular zealots do not think they are enemies of Islam; they are the radical Wahhabi sect that supports the House of Saud. Wahhabi clerics support the Saudi claim to Arabia, and in return Saudis pay for the propagation of Wahhabism around the world. Al Qaida is a Wahhabi terrorist cult. And yet, the Saudi—Wahhabi alliance is bulldozing the most ancient and historic sites in Mecca and Medina.

The Independent writes that

"A Saudi architect, Sami Angawi, who is an acknowledged specialist on the region's Islamic architecture, told The Independent that the final farewell to Mecca is imminent: "What we are witnessing are the last days of Mecca and Medina."

 "Most of the buildings have suffered the same fate as the house of Ali—Oraid, the grandson of the Prophet, which was identified and excavated by Dr Angawi. After its discovery, King Fahd ordered that it be bulldozed before it could become a pilgrimage site."

 "According to Dr Angawi — who has dedicated his life to preserving Islam's two holiest cities — as few as 20 structures are left that date back to the lifetime of the Prophet 1,400 years ago, and those that remain could be bulldozed at any time. 'This is the end of history in Mecca and Medina and the end of their future,' said Dr Angawi.'"

"The Gulf Institute, an independent news—gathering group, has publicised what it says is a fatwa, issued by the senior Saudi council of religious scholars in 1994, stating that preserving historical sites "could lead to polytheism and idolatry".

"'The service of pilgrims is not the goal really,' says Mr Ahmed ( who is the head of The Gulf Institute). 'They are removing any historical landmark that is not Saudi—Wahhabi, and using the prime location to make money,' he says."

Congressman Tom Tancredo recently said that in the event of a terrorist assault on American soil, Mecca could be attacked in retaliation. That is an inconceivably bad idea for many reasons. But it sounds as if the Saudis are already bulldozing Mecca, driven by their own narrow—minded fanaticism.

Why are Muslims around the world not protesting the destruction of their heritage?