Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabia on Friday issued a list formally designating the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), “Hezbollah in the Kingdom,” Yemen’s Houthi Movement, and all branches of Al-Qaeda, including the Al-Nusra Front, as terrorist organizations.
The list comes following a royal decree issued by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, last month, clamping down on terrorist. The full text of the Interior Ministry’s statement can be read below:
“In reference to Royal Order A/44 dated 3/4/1435H, Article IV of which authorizes the formation of a committee with members from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call, and Guidance, Ministry of Justice, Court of Grievances, and Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution, the task of which is to file a list (to be updated periodically) of the factions and groups identified in item 2 of the Article I of the Royal Order and process the list for final endorsement.
The Ministry hereby seeks to make known that the said committee has met and discussed the issue, and has sent the list of recommendations to the Royal Court. The following rulings criminalize citizens and residents:
1- The promotion of atheistic ideologies in any form as well as any attempt to cast doubt on the fundamentals of Islam, the religion on which this country stands.
2- Whoever betrays one’s oath of allegiance to the leaders of this country or swears allegiance to a party, organization, group, faction, or individual whether inside or outside the country.
3- Taking part in, calling for, or promoting the fighting in conflicts in other countries, or issuing fatwa supporting the matter.
4- Whoever is a member of or endorses those parties, organizations, groups, factions, or gatherings; or is sympathetic towards or promoting their ideologies or holds meetings under their umbrella whether inside or outside the Kingdom. This includes taking part in all audio-visual and written media, internet, social communication networks and promotion of their contents in anyway; included also are their emblems, mottos and any signs that show support.
5- Financial or material donations to or funding of the extremist and terroristic organizations, factions, and groups, or sheltering their members or their promoters inside or outside the Kingdom.
6- Contacting or communicating with groups or factions or individuals who harbor enmity for the Kingdom.
7- Being loyal to, in liaison with, or communicating with another country, with the intention of exploiting the secure unity and stability of the Kingdom and its people.
8- The pursuit of unsettling the social and national fabric, or the call for, participation in, or promotion of sit-ins, demonstrations, gatherings, collective statements, or any actions that touch the unity and stability of the Kingdom under any reason and in any form.
9- Attendance of conferences, forums, or gatherings inside or outside the Kingdom that target the Kingdom’s security and stability, and instigate social disorder.
10- Committing offenses against other countries and/or their leaders.
11- Soliciting the help of States, international organizations or bodies against the Kingdom.
The Ministry of Interior notes that these recommendations have been endorsed by Royal Order 16820 dated 5/51435H and will be enforced, effective from 8/5/1435H (March 9, 2014). Whoever violates these will be held accountable for all former and later violations. The King has further ordered that those who took part in any way in the fighting outside the Kingdom be given an extra extension period of 15 days as of the issuance of this statement to rethink their position and return immediately home, hoping that they will heed reason and come to their better senses.
Along with this, the Ministry of Interior attaches here the first list of parties, groups and factions addressed by this statement:
Al-Qaida Organization- Al-Qaida Organization in the Arabian Peninsula – Al-Qaida Organization in Yemen- Al-Qaida Organization in Iraq- Al-Nusra Front- Hezbollah in the Kingdom- the Muslim Brotherhood – The Houthi Group.
It should be noted that included also are any similar organizations with similar ideologies, discourses, and actions along with all those groups and factions noted on the lists of the Security Council and international bodies and are identified as terroristic and committed to violence.
The Ministry will update this list periodically in accordance with the mandate of the Royal Order. It also calls on all to fully abide by its directives, and warns at the same time that the Ministry will not be lenient or tolerant in enforcing its terms.’