First, Thomas Hegghammer has written a very valuable article on the rise and fall of al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia (more properly, “al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula” or QAP). Thomas’ study is valuable because he draws on a deep well of empirical research to challenge the three major explanatory models of Islamist militancy: ideological (as they [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Saudi Arabia’
Two Major Steps Forward in Studying al-Qaeda
Posted: 29th July 2008 by Will McCants in Saudi Arabia, Western mediaTags: al-Qaeda, COMOPS, Hegghammer, Saudi Arabia
0
Saudi Terror Arrests Summary, Government Points Finger at Iran
Posted: 29th June 2008 by Will McCants in Afghanistan, AQ Leadership, Jihadi media, Mauritania, Oil, Recruitment, Saudi Arabia, Strategy, tactics, Yemen, ZawahiriTags: financing, Iran, media, Oil, Recruitment, Saudi Arabia
I’ve been collecting news stories on the terror suspects arrested in Saudi Arabia. Much of the reporting relies on Saudi security personnel and the Interior Ministry’s statement last week, so it should be read with due skepticism. There’s a lot to discuss, but I’ll save my comments for later. For the moment it’s worth noting [...]
Mauritania Again
Posted: 28th June 2008 by Will McCants in Mauritania, Saudi ArabiaTags: Mauritania, Saudi Arabia
In the news surrounding the Saudi statement on its capture of suspected terrorists over the past six months (see Marisa’s links here and here and here), one thing stood out: 40 Mauritanians were arrested in Saudi’s oil-rich Eastern Province, some (all?) of whom were part of a cell that planned to attack oil installations in [...]
Managing Savagery in Saudi Arabia
Posted: 26th June 2008 by Will McCants in Saudi Arabia, Strategy, UncategorizedTags: Management of Savagery, Naji, Saudi Arabia, Strategy
In the past six months, Saudi Arabia has arrested around 700 suspected terrorists. Yesterday, the Interior Ministry released a statement which claimed that many of those arrested were trying to implement the blueprint laid out by Abu Bakr Naji in his Management of Savagery. Naji argues that if Jihadis want to take power, they need [...]