Reuters, June 25, 2003
http://www.jordantimes.com/
RIYADH (Reuters) — Saudi Arabia has suspended more than 1,000 Muslim
preachers until they are retrained to promote religious moderation and
reject the "extremism" of Al Qaeda militants, a government official
said on Tuesday. Abdul Rahman Al Matroudi, deputy minister at Saudi
Arabia's religious affairs ministry, said clerics would be instructed
to tell worshippers the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks — which was believed
to be carried out mainly by Saudi hijackers — violated Islamic
teachings.
The suspensions were part of a regular review of Saudi preachers, not
a reaction to last month's suicide bombings in Riyadh or pressure to
rein in a religious establishment blamed in the West for helping
foster Muslim extremism, he said.
"They have been told what happened on Sept. 11 and (attacks) in other
places are against Islam and they have to tell the people that this is
the stand which Muslims should take," Matroudi told Reuters.
Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, has more than 50,000 mosques,
each with a prayer leader or preacher.
"If someone is found not fit to be in that job he will be asked to
resign, or be retrained. That is what is happening. It has nothing to
do with what is going on (after the bombings)," Matroudi said, adding
scholars found some preachers had "a shortage of knowledge."
"The teaching which is given to them is the true teaching of Islam,
which is always against extremism," he said, adding the training
emphasises moderation.
The moves began before the Riyadh bombings, which killed 35 people and
were blamed on Al Qaeda. But those attacks and ensuing shootouts
between militants and police in Mecca, the holiest of Muslim cities,
have shaken Saudi Arabia.
The kingdom has cracked down on a number of radical preachers it
blames for inciting violence. At least three clerics have been
arrested for encouraging support of militants.
Anti-US sentiment
Saudi Arabia has been trying to control anti-US sentiment fuelled by
the American-led occupation of Iraq, Washington's robust support for
Israel and a perceived US smear campaign against the kingdom and Islam
after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Fifteen of the 19 suspected hijackers of the planes that crashed into
targets in New York and Washington were Saudis. The United States said
the attacks were the work of Saudi-born Osama Ben Laden's Al Qaeda.
Western critics have blamed Saudi Arabia's education system and deeply
conservative religious establishment for creating a permissive
environment in which anti-US militancy flourished.
"Unfortunately some of the Americans do not know exactly what is going
on here. Therefore, sometimes they give their judgement without
knowing our culture," Matroudi said.
"Our imams and our preachers, all of them are criticising the thought
and the way of al Qaeda."
Bin Laden won some support among ordinary Saudis over his demand for
the withdrawal of US troops stationed in the Gulf state since the
1990-91 Gulf War. Most are leaving after the overthrow of Saddam
Hussein in neighbouring Iraq.
But Saudi officials say any popular support for Al Qaeda was eroded by
the bombings in Riyadh and the discovery of militant cells in Mecca
and Medina, Islam's holiest cities.
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| User: "Yuri" |
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| Title: Re: Too little too late? |
26 Jun 2003 09:33:39 PM |
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"jha_amin" <jha_amin@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:33b7880.0306261732.132bb16f@posting.google.com...
Reuters, June 25, 2003
http://www.jordantimes.com/
RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has suspended more than 1,000 Muslim
preachers until they are retrained to promote religious moderation and
reject the "extremism" of Al Qaeda militants, a government official
said on Tuesday. Abdul Rahman Al Matroudi, deputy minister at Saudi
Arabia's religious affairs ministry, said clerics would be instructed
to tell worshippers the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks - which was believed
to be carried out mainly by Saudi hijackers - violated Islamic
teachings.
Too little too late?
I don't know...maybe. I think the Saudis have realized that they really
can't afford to appease the militants.
Thats the thing about extremists of EVERY brush. You can't give them an
inch and expect them to be happy. They won't ever compromise. The Saudis
have a choice...crack down now, are become a paper tiger government, where
their rule over their people is only an illusion. I think/hope they are
choosing to cut their losses and take care of business NOW...before its too
late.
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