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Riyadh: The Saudi government is involving charitable and community organisations to fight terrorism and extremist ideologies.
An official of a community organisation in Saudi Arabia said Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Interior Minister, has asked these societies to play an active role in the security campaign and tackle those adopting "deviant ideologies", a term widely used in Saudi Arabia to mean terrorists and extremists.
The deputy chairman of districts community society in Makkah, Saleh Al Turki, said they were asked to have the society take part in a committee comprising security personnel and academicians to offer advice to youth in a bid to free them from adopting deviant ideologies.
Saudi Arabia has been conducting a fierce campaign against terrorism and extremists. Last week, the Saudi Interior Ministry announced that it had arrested 172 terror suspects, along with weapons and wads of cash, with some of the militants plotting airborne attacks on oil facilities and army bases.
Meanwhile, authorities in Makkah are planning to kick off a project named "Makkah without crime". The short-term project aims to make Makkah free from crime. This move comes at a time when the holy city is witnesssing a rise in crime and illegal foreigners.
The project will be implemented in phases and will begin with eliminating the negative impact criminals can have on those who come in contact with them. The project will be executed jointly by the Makkah police, the governorate and the district societies.
Preachers to focus on dangers of extremism
The Saudi Ministry of Islamic affairs is planning to have more than 15,000 preachers to focus on the dangers of terrorism and the importance of fighting it during their Friday sermons.
The deputy minister of the Ministry of Islamic affairs, Tawfeeq Al Sudairi, said a directive has been issued by the minister to have the main theme of next Friday sermon concentrate on the evils of terrorism and extremism.
The sermons are to reveal some controversial issues pertaining to terrorism and extremism, highlighting the theories which the deviant groups used to justify their practices which are baseless and against Islamic teachings and principles. "The contents of next Friday sermons will be monitored. Any Friday preacher who fails to obey the directives will be questioned," a Ministry of Islamic affairs official said.
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