Arab News Staff Writer

TABUK, 27 November 2003 — Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, yesterday said the Shariah was needed to stamp out terrorism. “How can we fight terrorism and corruption without the support of the true Islamic Shariah,” he asked.

Prince Sultan made the statement while inaugurating a mosque and offices of the Islamic Affairs Ministry here. “Islam is a moderate religion and not an extremist religion,” the prince said. Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Asheikh said Muslims must adopt a moderate position in confronting challenges.

Earlier, Prince Sultan watched a military parade at King Abdul Aziz Military City and commended the armed forces’ leading role in safeguarding the Kingdom’s security.

“You are in the forefront of protecting security in cooperation with the National Guard and the security forces. Everybody can see the tremendous service you render the country,” Prince Sultan said while attending an Eid ceremony organized by the military city.

He conveyed the Eid greetings of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, who is supreme commander of the armed forces, and Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, to armed forces personnel stationed in the Northwestern region.

“It is a great honor for the Kingdom to serve the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah. At the same time we have to understand that it is a big test also,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted him as saying.

Prince Sultan, who arrived here earlier in the day, opened a festival hall at the military city. He also opened the first phase of a housing project for the staff of the Armed Forces Hospital in the region. A total of 360 housing units will be constructed under the project.

Prince Sultan is expected to distribute the keys and deeds of 70 housing units to the poor during a ceremony here today. The houses are part of the Prince Fahd ibn Sultan Social Program, which aims to provide 1,000 housing units in the next two years.

Meanwhile, Prince Sultan donated SR1 million to Ibrahim Al-Howaity, an army officer who lost eight members of his family including his wife and six sons in torrential floods that hit Ashwaq village last Monday.