Muslim Council of Elders warns of extremist groups exploiting religion

The Muslim Council of Elders issued a statement Saturday warning against extremist organizations that exploit religion to recruit youth and threaten community security.

• The Council, chaired by Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb, warned that terrorist groups spreading hatred and recruiting youth threaten societies' security and coexistence.
• The Council said leniency toward extremism and incitement networks endangers national security and the lives of innocent civilians.
• The Council stressed that Islam forbids assault on human life and that using religion to justify violence deviates from its teachings.
• The Council called for international cooperation to confront extremist organizations and combat the use of digital platforms to incite hatred.