Gulf | Saudi Arabia
Those who go to fight in Iraq 'are preachers of evil'
Prominent Saudi Islamic scholar and member of the Senior Scholars' Commission Shaikh Saleh Bin Fauzan Al Fauzan has warned Saudi youths against going to Iraq to fight in the war-torn country.
- By Mariam Al Hakeem, Correspondent
- Published: 21:45 May 7, 2008
Riyadh: Prominent Saudi Islamic scholar and member of the Senior Scholars' Commission Shaikh Saleh Bin Fauzan Al Fauzan has warned Saudi youths against going to Iraq to fight in the war-torn country.
While labelling those who go to fight in Iraq as "preachers of evil," he urged everyone to tell the authorities about such people. Shaikh Al Fauzan was speaking to members of the teaching faculty at Imam Mohammad Bin Saudi Islamic University here on Tuesday.
According to the scholar it is obligatory on the part of all to admonish those youths who are eager to go to Iraq to fight. He added it was important to convince them of the dangers involved in their move.
"If they are obstinate and insist on going, then security officials should be given a tip-off about such people," he said.
Shaikh Fauzan warned of an outfit called "Jamaat Tableegh" saying the Muslim Ummah was not in need of them. The scholar also called on the university professors to be vigilant and safeguard their students from deviant thoughts and extreme ideologies.
"Lectures, special classes and various other means shall be applied for the same," he said.
It is noteworthy that the Saudi authorities, who are anxious as to the possibility of the infiltration of deviant youths to Iraq through its international borders, have taken all possible precautionary steps and measures to check this.
As part of this, the government has expedited the move to set up a security fence along the border. Major General Mansour Al Turki, Ministry of Interior spokesman, recently announced the invitation of tenders from leading contracting companies to build the fence.
As many as 14 companies have so far presented their bids to grab the contract worth 4 billion riyals (Dh3.92 billion), according to a report published by MEED (Middle East Economic Digest). The 900-km fence will be constructed in three phases and the period of implementation of the huge project will be 25 months.
The Saudi Arabian government has expedited the move to set up a security fence along the border as part of measures to stop citizens from crossing into Iraq.
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