Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa

:: The secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL), Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia has established itself as “an international platform to fight extremist ideas” and that the Kingdom has put into place “strong and effective procedures” to prevent the funding of terrorism.

Al-Issa — who is also the Kingdom’s minister of justice — was speaking to a high-level diplomatic delegation from Belgium headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Derek Ashton, in the presence of Belgian Ambassador to the Kingdom, Geert Criel.

Al-Issa briefed the delegation on the MWL’s own efforts to combat extremism, support moderation and strengthen cultural ties among people, stressing the League’s adoption of programs that promote civilized communication between the Islamic World and those with different political, religious, intellectual and cultural views, in accordance with its new vision.

He described the League as “a global umbrella for Islamic people that promotes the principles and values of peace, forgiveness, co-existence, and humanitarian cooperation.”

Al-Issa discussed June’s meeting in Makkah — organized by the MWL — of Islamic community leaders from around the world. The historic meeting, he said, resulted in an important report ascertaining that the League promotes religious, intellectual and cultural awareness and positive integration among Muslim minorities, and rejects extremism.

Al-Issa explained that while terrorists and extremists come from different intellectual and religious backgrounds, and some have no link to religion at all, they have unfortunately chosen Islam to be “the umbrella for their crimes that have nothing to do with religion.”

For his part, the Belgian deputy foreign minister praised the League’s new vision, its transparent approach and its efforts to support cultural integration programs.