Haram Imams Denounce Terrorist Attacks

JEDDAH,8 May 2004 — The imams of the two holy mosques in
Makkah and Madinah yesterday denounced recent terrorist
attacks in the Kingdom and said the terrorists were playing
in the hands of Islam’s enemies.

“Our hearts tremble... from these criminal acts in Riyadh,
from what followed in Yanbu... because they claimed sacred
lives,” said Dr. Osama Khayyat, an imam at the Grand Mosque
in Makkah.

Delivering his sermon to thousands of faithful who thronged
the mosque for the Friday prayer,the imam reiterated that
Islam prohibits the killing of innocent people.

The imam was referring to the killing of five Western
engineers and a National Guard officer in the latest
terrorist attack in the industrial city of Yanbu and the
suicide bombing of a security forces building in Riyadh,
which killed six people, including four security men and a
young girl, and wounded 145 others.

The imam accused the perpetrators of the attacks, suspected
sympathizers of the Al-Qaeda terror network, of being
stooges of Muslims’ enemies. “In truth,who benefits from
these actions? The Muslims or their enemies?” asked
Khayyat.

“How can a reasonable person become a willing tool in the
hands of his enemies and the enemies of his country and the
(Islamic) nation?” he asked, urging worshipers to denounce
violence and stand united against this “grave danger.”

In Madinah, his words were echoed by Sheikh Hussein
Al-Asheikh, one of the imams of the Prophet’s Mosque, who
also said the main purpose of the Shariah was to assure the
happiness of the whole of mankind.

“Islamic teachings aim to achieve lofty and noble
goals...Every activity of a Muslim should conform to the
objectives set by his religion.”

“The criminal actions that took place in the Kingdom are
despicable.They violate the orders of God and the teachings
of His Prophet...They will only serve the interests of our
enemies,” he added.







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