Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia

The Muslim Council of Elders has condemned in the strongest terms the despicable terrorist attacks which hit the Saudi cities of Jeddah, Qatif and the Prophet's Mosque in the city of Medina, leaving a number of security officers dead and wounded.

In a statement, the council, headed by Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Shaikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, stressed that "the perpetrators of these villainous attacks which shed the blood of innocent people and violated the sanctity of places where Allah is worshipped, have neither ethics nor conscience and are not deterred by religion from killing innocent people and bomb the most sacred places on Earth."

It added: "Allah Almighty threatens to afflict those, who seek to wreak havoc on the Prophet's Mosque and other mosques, with disgrace in this life and the worst torment in the afterlife."

The council's statement stressed "the need for concerted international efforts to counter, with full firmness and determination, these deviant groups that seek to spread mischief on Earth and threaten, with atrocious acts, the security and stability of our holy places, Arab and Muslim countries and international peace that all humanity pursues."

The Council extended condolences to the King, government and people of Saudi Arabia and the families of the victims of the attacks.