Saudi clerics ban 'devious, anti-Islamic' Pokemon Go

The game is popular in the Middle East

Dubai: Saudi Arabia's top clerics renewed a religious edict that warns against playing Pokemon this time as the wildly popular mobile phone application "Pokemon Go".

First issued in 2001, the decree says Pokemon violates Islamic prohibitions against gambling, uses devious Masonic-like symbols and promotes "forbidden images". Crosses in the game are a symbol of Christianity, says the edict.

Al-Azhar's Abbas Shumman said a "manic attachment to technology" can make people forgetful towards worship and prayer.