Saudi Clerics Who Justify Terrorism Face Trial

Riyadh, 7 July (AKI) - Saudi Arabia is set to release a list naming clerics who will be tried on terrorism charges for issuing fatwas, or religious edicts, which justify terrorist acts. The Saudi newspaper Arab News cites the Saudi interior minister Prince Nayef as saying they will be tried as terror accomplices. He also revealed that authorities are trying to trace additional clerics, whose names do not appear on the list…

Prince Nayef told a meeting of the Supreme Tourism Authority this week that the plans to try the clerics are part of their effort to identify individuals who are financing terror operations in the kingdom.

On Wednesday newspapers in Saudi Arabia reported that following the killing of Moroccan Younis al-Hayari - who was considered the new leader of al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia - the terror network is expected to name Fahd Faraj al-Juwair as its new leader. The 35-year-old is number two on the list of 36 most wanted militants issued by the Saudi interior ministry last week. Al-Hayari was number one on that list. He died in a shootout after the Saudi security forces carried out raids on suspected militant hideouts in the capital Riyadh.

This is a very interesting story from the Italian news portal ADNKronos International. The trial of extremist clerics will go a long way in calming down the hotheads and may well reduce the number of would-be jihadists.