Jeddah: Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Aal Al-Sheikh called on Saudis and foreigners living in the Kingdom on Thursday to cooperate in saving the country's security and stability by informing authorities about militants. The Grand Mufti warned citizens and foreigners living in the Kingdom against hiding information about militants in the Kingdom. The statement from the Grand Mufti follows a government announcement last week that it is holding 520 suspects, arrested since January, who planned car bomb attacks against oil and security installations. “I warn citizens and residents from concealing them and giving them shelter, this would be a great sin,” the statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency said. “Aggressions against Muslims and occupation of land ... cannot be a justification for explosions, denouncing other Muslims as infidels and disobeying the Muslim rulers and social consensus,” the Mufti said. “Obeying the Muslim ruler is a basic principle of Islam.” The Mufti also advised Muslims to pay Zakat, and give donations only to those who deserve them, and to abide by the directives issued by the authorities in this regard to make sure that they do not fall in the hands of criminals. The statement warned youths against extremism and deviant thoughts, as Islam is the religion of moderation. It also called for Muslims' consensus, as Allah orders unity among them and forbids division. Aal Al-Sheikh said that the deviant groups' plans were against the Kingdom's security, people and resourses. This made them obedient tools in the hands of Islam's enemies. The explosives and weapons that were discovered recently, according to the Interior Ministry's statement, made it necessary for Muslims in the Kingdom to stand together against deviant criminals, and not to be lenient towards them, as to protect the nation's interests, public and private properties, the statement said. The last major attack was a failed attempt to storm the world's largest oil processing plant at Abqaiq in February 2006. Since then the government has arrested hundreds of suspects. The latest announcements are to remind citizens and expatriates to be vigilant against spreading extremist ideology in the society. This week state television showed two former militant supporters who confessed over how they organized the Internet operations of Al-Qaeda's campaign. The Mufti said it is a duty for scholars, parents, teachers, preachers, guides and intellectuals to warn against deviant groups' ideologies, and to guide the youth to the right path.
