RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, May 2 (UPI) -- Books inciting Saudi youth to enroll in holy war that include religious edicts condoning suicide bombing are being sold in bookstores.
Saudi daily al-Watan reported Tuesday that the books are being sold openly in bookshops in the city of Brida, north of the capital Riyadh, promising paradise for martyrs who come out to fight "infidels" by exploding themselves.
The books included edicts that inflame the emotions of young Muslims and encourage them to earn honors and virtue through martyrdom.
Some edicts also encourage suicide operations through extensive analysis of means and justification. Martyrdom was described as the highest expression of legitimate jihad, or holy war.
The paper said one of the books titled "Guideline for Soldiers in Jihad Mechanisms, a Summary of Jihad merit" was issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Education and Information in 1983 and published by a Baghdad publishing house.
The book, which stressed the necessity and merit of jihad, deals with liberation wars, conquest, army structures, military planning, arms and procurement of military equipment needed for mobilizing soldiers.
The book also comprises religious edicts regarding the results of jihad, or rules of war, including the division of spoils claimed by militants.
The paper quoted Education and Information Ministry official Youssef Abdel Rahman as saying the book falls under the label of publications banned in Saudi Arabia.
"In case we were informed that certain bookshops sell banned books and we get proof of that, punitive measures are enforced, including financial penalties, and a commitment by the bookshop owner to abide by the law if it was the first infringement," Abdel Rahman said.
