(WASHINGTON, DC) - The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosted a three-day counterterrorism workshop, which concluded yesterday, entitled the “International Legal Framework for Combating Terrorism and its Financing Workshop.” The conference, organized by the Saudi Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution (BIP) in association with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, was attended by more than 76 national, regional and international experts on terrorism, including the head of terrorist investigations at the U.S. Department of Justice, representatives from the FBI, envoys from the European Commission and Chairman of Senior Islamic Scholars, Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Asheikh also attended.

Speaking on the eve of the conference, Saudi Grand Mufti Al-Asheikh said, “Terrorism is criminal and spills the blood of innocents. It attacks security, spreads terror among people and creates problems for society.... Such acts are forbidden by Islamic law.”

The Grand Mufti also spoke specifically about combating terror financing, calling it a serious global threat and called for increased international cooperation in preventing money from reaching terrorist organizations.

The workshop in Riyadh included 16 sessions, which focused on topics such as expanding international cooperation, developing judicial systems and regulations to confront terrorism. Attendees discussed Saudi Arabia’s experience in combating terrorism, the United Arab Emirates’ anti-terror legislation and the efforts of Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in fighting terrorism.

“Terrorism threatens mankind as a whole, which is why international conferences like this are critical,” said Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir. “They provide an environment for nations across the world and international organizations to exchange information and experiences, so that we can learn from one another and improve our methods of dealing with terrorists and extremism.”