Analysts skeptical about S.Arabia religious leaders calling terror financing unIslamic

AMMAN - A resolution issued by Saudi Arabia’s top religious leaders that says terror financing is forbidden by Islamic law, will not amount to much, according to skeptical analysts.

The Christian Science Monitor (CSM) quoted the analysts as saying that the resolution passed by the government-appointed Council of Senior Ulema, holds little weight with those inclined to support militants.

Some Saudi Arabians view their government as too eager to please the U.S. in its quest to stop terrorism and question the religious and moral legitimacy of the monarchy.

Saudi officials agree that for some militants or their supporters, this stand against terrorist funding won’t resonate.

“The extremists, for them it wouldn’t make a difference, because they have their own little fatwa mills where they issue fatwas left and right,” claimed Nail Al-Jubeir, a spokesman for the Saudi embassy in Washington.

“They’re going to issue their own fatwas saying it’s the duty of every person to help them, but it doesn’t go anywhere. They’re just talking to their own group of people,” Jubeir added.

Jubeir said the government hopes the ruling will eliminate any misunderstandings about what constitutes support for militant groups and deter people from sending financial support to such organizations.

Among some analysts, there’s a view that the resolution was created to show the West that Saudi Arabia is committed to fighting terrorism, rather than to be an effective counter-terrorism measure in itself.

“This is a political display of opposition to terrorist activities,” says Hilal Khashan, a professor of political science at the American University of Beirut.

“The main threat does not come from officially sanctioned contributions to groups that are regarded as militant and anti-Western. The main threat comes from private donations made by Saudi business people and wealthy individuals and the Saudi statement does not control private donations,” he added.

The council’s resolution has been drawn from the Koran, Sunnah (traditions of the Prophet Mohammed’s life), and Islamic law. (ANI)