Saudi Arabia's highest religious authority urged Muslims Tuesday to reject extremism and rally behind Saudi rulers battling a tide of militant violence.
Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh told worshippers in the capital Riyadh that suspected al Qaeda bombers who killed at least 18 people in Riyadh two weeks ago threatened the cohesion of Saudi Arabia, the cradle of Islam.
"Today we are in dire need of unifying our ranks and voices and supporting our leadership against those who threaten our religion, security, resources and stability," he said at dawn prayers marking the start of Eid al-Fitr religious festival.
"We are in dire need of cooperating and protecting our religion, faith and the security of this country," he said.
His comments echoed a joint message Monday by the country's ailing King Fahd and de facto ruler Crown Prince Abdullah who called on Muslims to unite against "terrorism" after this month's bombings in Saudi Arabia and Muslim Turkey.
The appeal for moderation from the Gulf state's rulers and religious leaders is part of a coordinated effort -- together with a tough security crackdown -- to eliminate support for Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's militant al Qaeda network.
Some analysts fear further attacks over the Eid holiday.
"God intended for us Muslims to be a moderate and tolerant people and not be inclined to extremism," Sheikh said.
Under pressure from Washington since the September 2001 attacks on U.S. targets, carried out by mainly Saudi hijackers, Saudi authorities recently took steps against mosques, schools and charities which Western critics say fostered militancy.
Thousands of preachers have been "re-educated" to promote tolerance, school curricula revised and charity collection boxes have been banned in public places in an effort to tighten up flow of funds. Some overseas branches of charities were closed after they were accused of channeling funds to guerrillas.
Religious leaders have urged charitable organizations to be vigilant about where their money ends up, but also say they have been victims of a Western propaganda campaign.
Sheikh Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, imam of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, said Tuesday the "tyrannical surveillance" was discouraging people from giving money to charity -- a key duty for faithful Muslims.
"It's a distortion campaign which has encompassed all those connected to the work of charity, banks, financial houses and prominent philanthropists," he told worshippers.
He accused Western media and politicians of "shockingly mixing up the facts and creating a misunderstanding" of Islam.
"In these days...jihad (holy struggle) should be in the pursuit of truth during an age which has never before seen so much overpowering might in the hands of the sultans of deception," he said in an apparent reference to Western critics.