The Council of Scholars of the Italian Muslim Association has issued a declaration condemning \"those parents, teachers, and murderous criminals who raise children on a poisoned diet of apostasy, hatred and violence, [who] send our children to die in acts of sedition, while they direct the suicidal sacrifice and slaughter of these children from safe command posts, far from the battle.\" The nine sheikhs (Moslem scholars) who serve on the Council live in Rome, and come from Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, and other countries. The declaration, using particularly strong language, continues, \"In defense of a wicked regime, innocent ignorant children are sent to be killed in criminal actions. This regime even dares to declare that Islam approves of these criminal acts… There are courageous Sunni scholars in Jerusalem, risking their lives and the lives of their children by declaring that sedition against the State of Israel, shooting, stabbing and throwing stones at Israelis are acts of sedition and are, therefore forbidden, deserving Allah\'s punishment.\" Prominent Council members include Qadi Abu Ibrahim Ali al-Siddiqi and Sheikh Imam Prof. Abdul Hadi Palazzi.