Muslim scholars in the United States and Canada plan to release a fatwa, or judicial ruling, in Washington today saying that Islam condemns terrorism, religious extremism and any violence against civilians, including suicide bombings.

They said the fatwa is a response to the bombings this month in London and Egypt, and that they wanted the message to reach both non-Muslims who believe that Islam supports terrorism, as well as Muslims in North America and elsewhere, especially youths who could be susceptible to Islamic extremism.

"Young people might not have had the opportunity to understand the teaching of Islam in depth," said Jamal Badawi, chairman of the Islamic Information Foundation in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a member of the council issuing the fatwa. "We are trying to be proactive, not wait until something happens."

The fatwa cites the Koran and other Islamic texts, and says that making innocent people targets is forbidden -- "haram" -- and that those who commit such violence are "criminals" and not "martyrs," as supporters of suicide bombers have often claimed.