RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, June 7 (UPI) -- A senior Saudi Islamic cleric slammed terrorism as an evil that necessitates cooperation to stanch it from spreading.
Sheikh Saleh bin Abdullah bin Hamid was quoted Wednesday in daily al-Madina as saying terrorism is "a sign of perversity" and "terrorists commit atrocious crimes when they kill innocent people and destroy properties bringing destruction on everyone."
Bin Hamid, also member of the Higher Committee of Ulemas in the oil-rich kingdom, said "terrorism is infiltrating all societies and spreading in all countries among all races, nationalities and religions."
"There is no interest in terrorism for anyone, including the terrorists who kill themselves in operations that cannot be accepted by any religion, law or norm," he added.
Bin Hamid stressed that terrorism has "no religion, nation or sect, but is a sign of abnormality."
"Islam," the cleric went on saying, "stresses the need to protect the unarmed civilians who are not involved in any war... Islam stresses the importance of protecting lives, and destruction will befall on whoever kills a life, terrorize innocent people and destroys properties," he said.
The cleric called on all nations to reconsider policies for human rights, restrictions on freedoms, the criterion of justice and deal with such principles as sacred values to be implemented equally on all.
