Saudi Arabia: End of the road for proponents of jihad abroad

JEDDAH: ABDULLAH AL-BARGI

The royal decree punishing citizens who fight in war zones abroad or join and support extremist and terrorist groups came into effect on Wednesday.

Last month, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah decreed jail terms of up to 20 years for citizens breaking this law. Promoting the views of such groups and organizations “through speech or writing” would also incur prison sentences.

Saudis have identified the symbols and sources of extremist groups, and individuals who support them. This includes the four-finger salute of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, YouTube videos promoting calls for jihad in Syria and other war zones, and preachers who have openly associated with known extremist groups.

The decree gave people a one-month grace period to comply. It came in the wake of hundreds of Saudi fighters joining the conflict in Syria. Certain preachers had convinced these Saudis that they would be undertaking jihad in that country. The government fears that these citizens would become radicalized, and turn their weapons on their own people when they return home.

“The one-month grace period for the decree to come into effect is long enough to warn the public, and there can be no denying that they had not heard about it,” Lt. Gen. Mohammed Abu Saq told a local newspaper on Wednesday.

Abu Saq said the text of the decree was straightforward in describing what constitutes a criminal offense. He said sympathy for such groups was a threat to homeland security. “Anyone embracing dangerous groups with moral and financial support is in violation of the counterterrorism laws,” he said.

Nasser Al-Sharani, a member of the Shoura Council’s security committee, said it was everyone’s Islamic and national duty to abide by the decree because it protects the country’s interests and prevents the recruitment of its young men.

Source: ArabNews