CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ CHAIRED HERE TODAY THE WEEKLY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS. AT THE OUTSET OF THE SESSION, THE KING BRIEFED THE COUNCIL ON CONTACTS AND MEETINGS HE HELD WITH A NUMBER OF LEADERS AND ENVOYS OF COUNTRIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS THE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES HE DISCUSSED WITH THEM. IN A STATEMENT TO SAUDI PRESS AGENCY FOLLOWING THE SESSION, MINISTER OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION IYAD BIN AMIN MADANI SAID THE COUNCIL VALUED THE EFFORTS AND SACRIFICES MADE BY THE SECURITY MEN AND PERSONNEL OF ALL MILITARY SECTORS IN CONFRONTING TERRORISM. THE COUNCIL APPRECIATED THE REMARKABLE SUCCESS IN CURBING THIS PHENOMENON AND THE COMPETENCE OF DEALING WITH TERRORISTS IN LINE WITH ISLAMIC SHARIA (LAW), ESPECIALLY GIVING A CHANCE TO THOSE OF THEM WHO RECONSIDER THEIR POSITIONS, COUNSELING THOSE OF THEM WHO GET ARRESTED, TRYING THEM UNDER ISLAMIC LAW, AND LIMITING PURSUIT AND PUNISHMENT TO THEIR PERSONS ONLY. THE COUNCIL STRESSED THAT BODIES CONCERNED WITH MEDIA AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS SHOULD EXERT MORE EFFORTS TO CONFRONT THE PHENOMENON OF TERRORISM IN ITS INTELLECTUAL ROOTS, SOCIAL CONTEXT AND INTERNATIONAL COMPONENTS. THE COUNCIL COMMENDED THE SAUDI SOCIETY'S UNITY AND SOLIDARITY IN CONFRONTING THE PHENOMENON OF TERRORISM, CURBING IT AND ROOTING IT OUT, GOD WILLING. --MORE
