Saudi Arabia And The Global Islamic Terrorist Network

Saudi Arabia influences American policy through both conventional and unconventional methods, all due to the petro-dollars that have been generated from America's addiction to foreign oil. With chapters written by renowned experts, this book uses first-hand accounts to explore this vast influence

A book to challenge the status quo, spark a debate, and get people talking about the issues and questions we face as a country!

This book is a comparative study of terrorism and counterterrorism in Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. It explores the history and contemporary developments of terrorism, especially Islamist terrorism, in these two Sunni Muslim-majority countries. In doing so, it analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of governments’ policies, strategies, and models of counterterrorism, including terrorist rehabilitation and reintegration programs. In addition, the book also documents the opinions of Saudis and Indonesians to find societal voices on effective ways of combating violent extremism and discusses Saudi-Indonesian cooperation on counterterrorism, defense, and security issues. The book suggests that although particular Islamic texts, teachings, and discourses might influence radical behaviors and practices of some Muslim individuals and groupings, terrorism is beyond ideological, religious, and doctrinal issues. Therefore, multiple methods and strategies are needed to combat radicalism and create sustainable peace in society. The work will be is beneficial for both academic and non-academic communities, particularly students of conflict, violence, peacebuilding, and religious studies.

Since the attacks of September 11th 2001 and up to and beyond Osama bin Ladin's death, al-Qaeda has come to embody the new enigmatic face of terrorism, dominating discussions of national and international security. Yet in spite of the attention it receives, conflicting assumptions about the group abound. Is al-Qaeda a rigidly structured organization, a global network of semi-independent cells, a franchise, or simply an idea whose time has come? What is meant by talk of the ‘global Salafi jihad’ that is confronting the West? What are the implications of bin Ladin's death? Christina Hellmich offers a critical examination of the widely-held notions regarding the origins and manifestations of al-Qaeda and the sources on which they rely, mapping the organisation’s alleged transition from what began as a regional struggle against the Soviets in Afghanistan to the increasingly leaderless jihad of the post-9/11 world. Rather than just providing yet another biography of al-Qaeda, Hellmich forensically examines discrepancies between the most common explanations and to the limits of what can realistically be known. Drawing on a wide variety of sources, 'al-Qaeda: From Global Network to Local Franchise' offers a penetrating insight into an organization which, for all its notoriety, is one of the least-understood of our time.

The terrorist destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 was the climax of a course plotted by Osama Bin Laden to bring about his apocalyptic vision of a decisive clash between the Western and Moslem worlds. This timely volume details the organizational workings and belief system of Bin Laden's brutal campaign. The authors explore the background and objectives of the attacks, the elaborate planning that went into them, and the process of their practical execution.In addition to its factual account, The Globalization of Terror makes a significant contribution to scholarly and theoretical research dealing with international terror. The book offers a unique analysis of the Afghan "alumni," who had previously fought the Soviets in the 1980s, within the overall tapestry related to modern international terror. The authors detail how their activities evolved from a movement of national self-defense to the militant worldview identified with radical Islam. The book reveals, as well, the organizational structure so carefully erected by Bin Laden and his associates, in order to realize the vision of a worldwide Islamic Caliphate in practical terms. The book is intended to work as a set of guidelines for newcomers to the world of international terrorism including anti-terror task forces, heads of security companies as well as professionals in the field.The importance of The Globalization of Terror lies in its clear presentation and precise analysis regarding the dimensions of the danger international terror poses to the free world, and in its recommendations for the necessary strategy to prevent the recurrence of acts of large-scale terror.

Since its formation in 1932, Saudi Arabia has been ruled by two interdependent families. The Al Sa’uds control politics and the descendants of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab impose Wahhabism—a violent, fanatical perversion of the pluralistic Islam practiced by most Muslims. Stephen Schwartz argues that Wahhabism, vigorously exported with the help of Saudi oil money, is what incites Palestinian suicide bombers, Osama bin Laden, and other Islamic terrorists throughout the world. Schwartz reveals the hypocrisy of the Saudi regime, whose moderate facade conceals state-sponsored repression and terrorism. He also raises troubling questions about Wahhabi infiltration of America’s Islamic community and about U.S. oil companies sanitizing Saudi Arabia’s image for the West. This sharp analysis and eye-opening expose illuminates the background to the September 11th terrorist attacks and offers new approaches for U.S. policy toward its closest ally in the Middle East.

Appendices include: the United Nations Security Council Resolution #1368 and #1378.