RIYADH, March 6: The Federation of Islamic Universities off Saudi Arabia, in a meeting here, has refused to discuss the issue of changing the syllabi of Islamic educational institutions, as demanded by the United States.

“We totally reject the move to link Islam with terrorism. It’s not acceptable because it’s the Muslims who are the victims of terrorism,” Dr. Abdullah Jasiby chairman of the executive council of the federation, told reporters after the inaugural session of the meeting at the Riyadh’s Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University.

Dr Abdul Aziz Al-Tuwaijri, director general of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) blasted the foreign media campaigns against the Islamic universities.

“It’s part of a fierce campaign by the enemies of Islam, exploiting the situation after the Sept 11 attacks on the United States,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Muhammad Bin Ahmed Al-Rasheed, the Saudi education minister has said that the school curricula are being developed without affecting the subjects of core importance.

He however, clarified that the development has nothing to do with reactions to the tragic events of September 11.

He told the local Al-Hayat daily that the Kingdom does not accept any meddling in its internal affairs, and that the development of school curricula, including the religious subjects, is a continuous process governed by specific criteria.

The minister denied any move to merge Arabic language studies and religious studies, saying that this cannot be dictated by anyone because the affairs of education are part of national sovereignty.

He said that religious subjects currently being taught in Saudi secondary schools are quite suitable and in line with what the students had already studied in their intermediate and primary classes. He denied that the educational syllabi encourage extremism, and added that there was no scientific basis to such an allegation.