Even though terrorist attacks are not uncommon these days, the Riyadh blast was particularly shocking since this type of heinous act is alien to the Saudi way of life. This country has been blessed with stability and security ever since its unification at the hands of the late King Abdul Aziz while nations around us were reeling under all forms of stress and strain.

Saudi Arabia was marching ahead on a well-charted course to development. It is in the context of all this that the bomb blast in Riyadh was more shocking.

The Council of Senior Islamic Scholars were right in condemning this "hideous crime." This is an act which is absolutely inhuman and repugnant. It violates the basic principles of ideology by its shedding of the blood of the innocent.

Evil indeed must be the minds of those who plant explosives with knowledge that the victims will be men, women and children with whom they have no quarrel. All that they want are human bodies blown apart.

A bigger tragedy is that the evil is done in the name of noble causes. All that the perpetrators achieve is to bring shame and disrepute to the very causes they claim to serve.

Is it possible that they are not aware that evil cannot bring forth anything but evil, that the path of terror will not lead to peace?

The sick minds who carried out this terrorist act will not have peace of mind as they will be hunted and caught, to be given the ultimate punishment.

The blast in Islamabad which took a heavy toll of human life can never be justified by the perpetrators of this crime. It is because it is totally un-Islamic and does not in any way serve the cause of Islam.

To use of violence to promote a cause is abhorrent to all Muslims. Islam reject the use of terrorist violence.

I don't believe that these people have anything to do with Islam or Muslims. These are extremists whose cause is a lost one not only intrinsically but also because of their resort to violence.
The people of the region and the whole world reject the use of these tools to bring attention to these murderous group's goals. What goals can be justified if the road to them leads through blood and destruction. What goals can be justified by tearing apart life and limb? What goals can be justified by traumatizing society?

These acts are criminal and evil.

They have to be met with equal strength and a resolute deterrence. People should be on their guard to see to it that they are not repeated. These pariahs of society should realize that senseless acts of blood and mayhem are not going to get them any sympathy from the general public.