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Deprogramming Jihadists

[New York Times] Katherine Zoepf - The Saudi state was essentially built on the concept of jihad, which King Abdul Aziz al-Saud used to knit disparate tribal groups into a single nation. The word means "struggle" and in Islamic law usually refers to armed conflict with non-Muslims in defense of the global Islamic community. Saudi schools teach a version of world history that emphasizes repeated battles between Muslims and nonbelieving enemies. Whether to Afghanistan in the 1980s or present-day Iraq, Saudi Arabia has exported more jihadist volunteers than any other country; 15 of the 19 hijackers on Sept. 11 were Saudis. The Saudi government finds itself in the awkward position of needing to defend the principle of jihad to its citizens while discouraging them from actually taking up arms. A new Saudi rehabilitation program addresses the psychological needs and emotional weaknesses that have led many young men to jihad in the first place. It tries to give frustrated and disaffected young men the trappings of stability - a job, a car, possibly a wife. If the Saudi program is succeeding, it may be because it treats jihadists not as religious fanatics but as alienated young men in need of rehabilitation.
2008-11-26 01:00:00
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