ABU DHABI Ñ Saudi Arabia has warned clerics and Islamics groups against using mosques in the
kingdom to recruit for Al Qaida.
Saudi officials said Riyad has also warned
supporters of Al Qaida to maintain a low profile as the kingdom fears a new
wave of anti-American unrest, Middle East Newsline reported.
"I call on our sons, the students of today and the men of tomorrow, and
every citizen to stick to their faith without excess, for Islam is a
religion of moderation and wisdom," Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul
Aziz said in an address to university students. "Beware of extremism,
because the annihilation of nations that came before you was caused by
religious extremism."
Abdullah's appeal to Saudi students came as the kingdom's interests came
under attack in several areas in the region. A gunman unsuccessfully
attempted to hijack a Saudi airliner leaving from Khartoum on Tuesday and a
Saudi national rammed his car into the U.S. consulate in Jedda. Officials
said neither incident was connected to Al Qaida.
Saudi Deputy Islamic Affairs Minister Tawfiq Al Sudeiri said the kingdom
will not allow Al Qaida to exploit mosques for recruitment or propaganda.
The ministry appoints the personnel in more than 80,000 mosques and
regulates the Islamic clergy in the kingdom.
In an unusual call, Al Sudeiri urged young Saudis to ignore Al Qaida
statements and any fatwas, or religious rulings, by Osama Bin Laden. The
deputy minister said Bin Laden is not an Islamic authority.
"He is unqualified to speak on behalf of Islam," Al Sudeiri said.
"Somebody like him, a specialist in business administration and the economy,
might love Islam or have general knowledge of Islam. But this does not
authorize him to issue religious rulings or address general issues or decide
the fate of people."
Al Sudeiri acknowledged that clerics have been railing against the West
in their sermons in mosque. He said the ministry has banned such speeches
and has even expelled clerics. He did not elaborate.
Officials said the United States has been consulting with Riyad on
counterinsurgency efforts. They cited the visit to Riyad last week of State
Department counterterrorism coordinator Francis Taylor.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia has ruled out any help to the United
States against Iraq. Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz,
who completed a tour of military facilities in the Shi'ite-dominated eastern
province, said the kingdom would not cooperate even if the United Nations
sanctions war against the regime of President Saddam Hussein.
"Saudi Arabia will not provide any assistance in any strikes against
Iraq," Prince Sultan was quoted by the Saudi-owned Al Hayat daily as saying.
"The kingdom has a special status in the Arab and Muslim worlds, as it is
home to the two holy mosques. It will not sacrifice this status for the sake
of anyone."
On Wednesday, the Kuwaiti A-Siyassi daily quoted U.S. congressional
sources as saying that the Bush administration might decide to unilaterally
withdraw U.S. troops from Saudi Arabia. The daily said Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz have been urging
President George Bush to order such a pullout after the toppling of the
regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
