A number of Shoura Council members and security specialists have called for enrolling Saudi women in military service, the Saudi Gazette reported. They said women should get military training to teach them the use of light weapons. Maj. Gen. Ali Al-Tamimi, deputy chairman of the council's security committee, said Islam has not prevented women from participating in military affairs, recalling that women used to contribute to Jihad (fight for Allah) to serve Islam. "The Kingdom, which is a member of the G 20 and which annually receives millions of Haj and Umrah pilgrims, fully understands the importance of using women in military service," Ali Al-Tamimi said. Tamimi said women can participate in a number of military activities such as security operations, inspections, interrogations, accounting and financial management. Sultan Al-Sultan, another Council member, said women can be trained on uncovering the activities of women terrorists. Ahmed Al-Mokli, a researcher on extremist groups, said the training of women should also include the educational, cultural, vocational and technical fields. He highlighted the successes achieved by women in various sectors such as passports and general security.
