JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The Twitter followers who encouraged a Saudi journalist accused of blasphemy may be charged with the same crime, a public prosecutor suggested Monday.

Hamza Kashgari, an Internet columnist who allegedly posted Twitter comments "disrespecting God and insulting Prophet Mohammed" before traveling to Malaysia, was deported back to Saudi Arabia Sunday to face trial.


The newspaper al-Hayat reported the public prosecutor in Jeddah was likely to seek anyone who encouraged Kashgari by approving of his comments, a reference to his Twitter account correspondents.

The exact nature of the alleged blasphemy was not disclosed, but the newspaper Arab News commented that "a number of Saudis have called for the trial of all those who tweeted support for Kashgari, saying they were equally guilty."

The government Prosecution and Investigations Commission received numerous calls urging that "Kashgari and all the bloggers who supported him in his blasphemy" be tried, Arab News reported.