RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, May 9 (UPI) --
Scholars in Saudi Arabia warned against extremist ideologies urging men to enter Iraq to join the insurgency while officials solicit bids for a border fence.
Sheik Saleh bin Fauzan al-Fauzan of the Saudi Senior Scholars' Commission said in a speech to faculty members at the Imam Mohammad bin Saudi Islamic University in Riyadh that members of the Muslim missionary Tablighi Jamaat were "preachers of evil" for encouraging militancy, Gulf News Daily said Friday.
Fauzan warned Saudi scholars and government officials to be vigilant against extremists trying to enter Iraq through Saudi Arabia.
"If they are obstinate and insist on going, then security officials should be given a tip-off about such people," he said.
In related news, Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki said Saudi officials unveiled a solicitation for bids to build a security fence along the border with Iraq.
Gulf News said 14 companies have petitioned for the $1.1 billion plan that is slated to take more than two years.© 2008 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
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