http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article51884.ece
Shoura backs fatwa on funding terror By MD RASOOLDEEN | ARAB NEWS Published: May 10, 2010 00:51 Updated: May 10, 2010 00:51 RIYADH: The Shoura Council endorsed on Sunday the recent fatwa given by the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars headed by Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh on terror financing last month. Describing terror financing as evil, Shoura Council Chairman Abdullah Al-Asheikh said on Sunday the Council will frame a set of regulations to combat terror financing. He said the proposed recommendation would be sent to the Council of Ministers and would include regulations to prohibit financing terror activities and it would incorporate stringent punishments for violations since such funding could be a threat to the peace and security of the country. Last month, the 20-member Council of Senior Islamic Scholars said terror financing was a crime as big as terrorism itself because it empowers and enables sabotage, insecurity, murder and destruction of property. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah echoed this sentiment in a statement on Friday, making no distinction between funding terrorism and acts of terrorism. "Terror financing amounts to helping acts of terrorism and supporting the existence and spread of terror," said the fatwa. "Terror is a crime that sabotages security. It is crime against people and private and public property. It manifests in bombing houses, schools, hospitals, factories and bridges; in hijacking and blowing up airplanes. It also destroys government resources, such as oil and gas pipelines. Such acts of destruction are prohibited under Shariah." In statement issued on behalf of the Shoura Council, Abdullah Al-Asheikh explained that donations to legitimate and legal charitable activities is not the same as blindly donating to organizations that channel funding for terrorism. "Charity helps distressed people while financing terror helps destroy men and property," he said. The chairman also said that a new recommendation by the council would establish guidelines for financial donations. The Kingdom has already implemented stricter guidelines for establishing charitable organizations, and it is illegal for groups to collect money unless they have been accredited by the state. The measure was aimed at controlling which groups could legally accept financial donation. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
