JEDDAH, 21 June 2007 — Interior Minister Prince Naif yesterday emphasized the role of imams and khateebs in the Kingdom’s fight against terrorism and destructive thoughts and ideas.
During an open meeting with more than 600 prayer leaders and those who give Friday sermons in mosques, the prince stated, “It is your responsibility to confront this problem by applying your knowledge, minds and courage. There are at least 14,000 Friday mosques (mosques at which Friday prayers can be performed as opposed to mosques where Friday prayers are not performed) in various parts of the Kingdom. “This means we have 14,000 platforms. If the khateebs use this opportunity to expose the deviants and their ideology, it will have a great positive impact upon society.”
He said Saudi security forces had foiled 90 percent of terrorist attacks in the Kingdom. “If 30 percent of these attacks had taken place, our country would be in a very bad shape. We can see what is happening now in Iraq and what happened before in Afghanistan,” he said.
“Do you want people in your society who call you, your state and your leaders infidels,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the prince as asking. He said the Kingdom ran its affairs on the basis of Shariah. “Do you know that your children who go to Iraq are used only for blowing themselves up? Iraqi officials themselves have told me that,” the prince said. “They are brought there in order to put on explosive belts and blow themselves up, causing the deaths of innocents. Are you happy for your children to become instruments of murder?”
“You can play a big role in confronting these deviants who work against Islam and the Kingdom,” he told the meeting. He said the deviants were tarnishing the image of Islam and serving the interests of its enemies. “They are attacking Islam and you are the right persons to counter them.”
Prince Naif defended Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab, saying he taught people what was in the Qur’an and Sunnah. “He did not add anything of his own,” the prince said and commended the Islamic scholar’s efforts in eradicating superstitious beliefs among Muslims.
It was first such meeting since a series of bomb attacks took place across the Kingdom beginning in May 2003. The attacks, blamed on Al-Qaeda militants, claimed the lives of more than 260 people. Saudi Arabia’s successful campaign against terrorists and militants has won international acclaim. In April, the government announced the arrest of 172 militants who were described as being part of a major plot to revive terrorist attacks across the Kingdom.
In his speech, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawa and Guidance Saleh Al-Asheikh announced his ministry’s plan to launch a major campaign to protect young Saudi men and women from destructive thoughts and ideas. “This campaign will be carried out shortly through mosques,” Al-Asheikh said.
Prince Saud ibn Fahd, Prince Muhammad ibn Naif, assistant interior minister for security affairs, and Sheikh Saleh Al-Laheedan, chairman of the Supreme Judiciary Council, also attended the meeting.
