The imaam of al-Masjid an-Nabawee in Madeenah yesterday condemned the killing of four French residents by unidentified gunmen in a desert area outside the holy city on Monday.
“The fatal shooting of the Frenchmen was a terrorist act, which Islam repudiates and for which it prescribes the most severe punishment,” Sheikh Ali Al-Hudaifi said while delivering his Friday sermon.
“The perpetrators of such actions have tarnished the image of Islam. …they are their own enemies and enemies of society,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted Hudaifi as saying.
The prayer leader advised the public against covering up for these criminals, saying anyone who knew anything about them should tip off the authorities “so that they get the punishment stipulated by Sharee’ah.”
The four victims belonged to three French families returning to Riyadh after a visit to the historic site of Madain Saleh in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
Two of the victims were Muslim and funeral prayers were held for them at the al-Masjid an-Nabawee.
France has beefed up security for its expatriates in the wake of the killings.
