There is a pressing need for more coordination among the Saudi Ministries of Interior, Islamic Affairs, Education, Culture and Information and Higher Education to curb the terror menace, according to a high-ranking official at the Ministry of Interior. Dr. Abdurrahman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Hadlaq, Director General of Ideological Security at the Ministry of Interior, made the remark while addressing a group of reporters he had met with few days ago in a rest house in east of Riyadh. According to the Arabic daily Al-Jazirah, Hadlq referred to two studies conducted by experts in ideological security on ways of fighting fundamentalism, which is thought to be the major factor behind the emergence of advocates of deviant thought. He said the experts had adopted 17 recommendations to uproot this menace, foremost of which was the strengthening and developing of an advisory committee which has proven its effectiveness in correcting several of the misconceptions instilled in the minds of some young men, eventually causing them to deviate from the right path and embrace deviant thought. Hadlaq said that in another recommendation, the experts have reiterated the importance of the reinstatement of the repented deviants, as well as finding jobs for unemployed detainees who responded to the advisory committee, and encouraging them to continue their education. The recommendations also stressed the importance of the revival of recitation of the Holy Qur'an and memorization sessions usually held in mosques. They voiced the need for probing the credibility and traits of the supervisors coaching the youth in these sessions and other activities. Additionally, the experts underlined the family's role in keeping an eye on the companions and friends of their children, especially the grownups, to prevent them from mingling with delinquents and deviants and noticing any change in their behavior. They also urged universities to develop their admission mechanisms to absorb more secondary graduates who are targeted and exploited most by the deviants, for they can easily be tempted and misled. Mechanisms for monitoring charitable institution receiving donations should be developed in order to make sure that the collected money is spent in the proper channels, and not on illicit activities such as financing terrorist activities, the experts stressed. They also called for producing more awareness materials and programs so as to enlighten the youth about the danger of being lured by the advocates of the deviant thought to recruit them and drag their legs in the abyss of terrorism and extremism.
