Al-Qa'eda, who benefits?
The murderous suicide bombings at the residential compound in Riyadh symbolise the utter failure of Al-Qa'eda and its extremist members. Once, Al-Qa'eda had a goal -- or several goals -- regarding combating US hegemony using terrorist tactics.
Now, Al-Qa'eda has turned its guns on Saudi Arabian society, threatening its security, stability and the ruling regime. By blindly reacting to events, Al-Qa'eda no longer differentiates between friend or foe; its aggression has become all encompassing, targeting everyone and senselessly destroying everything in its path.
Since last May when bomb attacks killed 35 people, a violent battle continues between Saudi security forces and remnant terrorist elements who went into hiding. Several hundred Al-Qa'eda supporters were arrested, and hideouts were discovered where caches of weapons, explosives and bombs were ready to be used in terrorist operations. Many Al-Qa'eda members were also killed in violent confrontations with Saudi police. The holy site of Mecca was also tarnished by terrorist operations targeting pilgrims. In other words, these terrorists who raise the banner of Islam and claim to be defending the faith against its enemies do not respect the sanctity of the Ka'aba and the holy sites. They do not care about the faithful who come from all over the Muslim world.
This week's attack in Riyadh where three cars packed with explosives were detonated in a residential compound housing Arab and foreign civilians and workers resulted in the death of a large number of people, severely injuring women and children. This attack proves beyond the shadow of doubt that Al-Qa'eda lacks a specific political vision or a comprehensible religious and moral logic. There is no explanation for what is taking place now, except that it aims to destabilise Saudi Arabia, give rise to chaos and the fall of the ruling monarchy. Plotters have turned their attention to the home front because they failed to reach their real targets in the US and Europe. But a chaotic Saudi Arabia will cause severe repercussions and perhaps tempt foreign forces to interfere.
A clear indicator that the ranks of Al-Qa'eda now active in the Gulf region have been infiltrated are the repeated warnings which preceded recent attacks. The US announced the closure of its embassy and consulates. Saudi authorities denied having received prior warnings from the US. One day later, the Riyadh attacks took place. Security alerts have also been extended to the Gulf states of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, stirring legitimate fears that Al-Qa'eda -- or its remnants -- are now working for foreign powers interested in changing conservative Arab regimes.
These regimes are also viewed suspiciously by imperialist circles in the US. American authorities often complained about the lack of cooperation by Saudi Arabia in interrogating and pursuing Al-Qa'eda supporters. But as soon as cooperation began between the Saudi security apparatus and American intelligence, explosions took place and sabotage operations were launched on a scale which is unprecedented in the Saudi Kingdom. Asharq Al- Awsat newspaper recently published that Saudi authorities possess evidence that Al- Qa'eda elements, weapons and explosives, were smuggled into Saudi Arabia across the border with Iraq, and not the other way round as claimed by US authorities.
The situation in Saudi Arabia requires extreme alertness because the stability of Saudi Arabia is a cornerstone for stability in other Gulf states, and the Arab region as a whole. If these perverse Al- Qa'eda elements evolve into extremist Islamic groups, such as those found in Algeria, then the cycle of violence will not end. This obligates Saudi authorities to confront the situation with more firmness and take speedier steps towards reform.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 13 - 19 November 2003 (Issue No. 664)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/664/op4.htm