Saudi King Abdullah warns of global terror threat
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz calls for terrorism to be confronted with
"force, reason and speed"
Saturday, 30 Aug, 2014

Jeddah, Asharq Al-Awsat - Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud warned
that terrorists present in Iraq and Syria will seek to target the West in
the future unless they are confronted today, during a meeting in which he
received the credentials of a number of new ambassadors to the Kingdom.

“If we ignore them [terrorists], I am sure they will reach Europe in a month
and America in another month,” the Saudi King said in remarks carried by the
state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

“Terrorist knows no borders and its danger could affect several countries
outside the Middle East,” the Saudi monarch said in comments warning against
the “evil” of terrorism.

King Abdullah received the credentials for a number of new ambassadors to
the Kingdom, including British ambassador John Jenkins and US ambassador
Joseph Westphal.

British ambassador John Jenkins said that the ambassadors were lucky to be
envoys to Saudi Arabia, affirming that the Kingdom is witnessing a period of
safety, security and stability “while the phenomenon of violence, terrorism
and bloodshed is sitting cities and capital around this safe haven.”

Saudi King Abdullah called on all ambassadors present to convey warnings
regarding the evil of terrorism to their home countries, stressing that this
evil phenomenon must be fought with “force, reason and speed.”

He said: “It is no secret to you, what they have done and what they have yet
to do. I ask you to transmit this message to your leaders: ‘Fight terrorism
with force, reason and (necessary) speed.”

The Saudi monarch also underlined that so-called “jihadists” in the region
are not practicing true Islam, highlighting the sanctity of human life.

Saudi King Abdullah’s statements come as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
(ISIS) continues to advance in Iraq and Syria.

King Abdullah also called on other countries to join the UN
Counter-Terrorism Centre, set up in 2011 to respond to new threats, and to
which Saudi Arabia has made a grant of 100 million US dollars.

The Saudi monarch’s statement came on the same day that US Secretary of
State John Kerry called for an international coalition to fight ISIS
militants’ “nihilistic vision and genocidal agenda” in Syria and Iraq.

In an oped published by The New York Times, Kerry called for a “united
response led by the United States and the broadest possible coalition of
nations” to confront “the cancer of ISIS” and prevent its spread to other
countries.

“Extremists are defeated only when responsible nations and their peoples
unite to oppose them,” the US Secretary of State concluded.