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Grim Saudi Export - Suicide Bombers
(Los Angeles Times) Mia Bloom - Most of the suicide bombers in Iraq are coming from Saudi Arabia. The rise in Saudi bombers stems from a split within the Saudi jihadist movement, according to some al-Qaeda experts. One faction wants to attack the al-Saud monarchy directly, while another contends that U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq should be the prime target. Because al-Qaeda views Saudi Arabia as its primary source of money for global jihad, it has concentrated on striking in Iraq. Reuven Paz, an Israeli expert on terrorism, concluded that of the 154 foreign fighters killed in Iraq over a six-month period, 61% were Saudis, with Syrians and Kuwaitis together accounting for another 25%. But the jihadist websites claim that 70% of the suicide bombers in Iraq are Saudi nationals.