By MUHAMMAD HUMAIDAN | ARAB NEWS
JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah said Friday that financing terrorist acts is "as bad as terrorist deeds".
“This reprehensible crime is not only as bad as terrorist deeds but also sustains terror, attempts to sabotage our land, destabilizes our security and destroys our resources and our moderate approach,” the king said in a message to Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, who is also president of the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars. The council last month condemned terror financing.
The 20-member council said the terror financing was a crime as big as terrorism itself because it empowers and enables sabotage, insecurity, murder and destruction of property.
“Terror financing amounts to helping acts of terrorism and supporting the existence and spread of terror," said the fatwa. "Terror is a crime that sabotages security. It is crime against people and private and public property. It manifests in bombing houses, schools, hospitals, factories and bridges; in hijacking and blowing up airplanes. It also destroys government resources, such as oil and gas pipelines. Such acts of destruction are prohibited under Shariah,” the council said.
“Therefore the council decides that financing terror is unlawful and a crime that should be punished legally. The crime also includes participating in any manner in the collection of funds,” the fatwa said.
In his Friday speech at Jamiah Al-Kabir in Riyadh, Al-Asheikh reiterated his stand.
King Abdullah has been consistently supporting the global fight against terrorism. In February 2005 the king took the initiative to organize an international conference to fight terrorism in Riyadh. The king also suggested the setting up of an international center to fight terror.
Arab News
