RIYADH: As part of its drive to check deviant ideologies and terrorism, the Ministry of Interior has launched a preventive campaign aimed at all sections of society with a special focus on the Kingdom’s youths.
One of the first locations where the campaign would be launched is Hafr Al-Baten in the Eastern Province. The campaign is to begin there in a few days time.
Preachers and experts involved in reforming individuals arrested on terror- related charges will participate in the program, Al-Madinah newspaper reported. Counselors will focus on the dangers of adopting extremist ideologies and explain mainstream religious views.
Stressing the need for preventive counseling, Majed Al-Mersal, a leading religious scholar and counselor, said, “Preventive counseling is required to fortify all sections of society against the spread of extremist ideologies, and uncovering their falseness and lies, besides removing doubts created by them.”
Al-Mersal denied that the program would be a mere venue for a series of speeches. “Comprehensive programs that cut at the root of extremist ideologies are planned for those who have been confused by misleading information and who are swayed by their emotions.
Participants will be given an insight into the experiences of reformed terrorists and how they were misled,” he added.
Al-Mersal, who has worked in the Kingdom’s jails, said, “After receiving counseling and learning the truth about religion and society, most people acknowledge that they were misled ... We have developed a clear idea about how preventive counseling should be conducted after discussions with and listening to the experiences of misled youth, and the nature of the ideas injected in their minds.”
Sessions are to be held at mosques, schools, clubs and places where youth normally gather. Other cities and towns to be targeted by the campaign include the town of Sharourah in Najran, Turba in Makkah and Zulfi in Qassim.
