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On October 19, following the signing of the UAE-Bahrain peace accords with Israel, ISIS called on its supporters to target Western foreigners in Saudi Arabia and launch revenge attacks to destroy the kingdom’s economic evidence.
Abu Hamza al-Qurashi, a spokesman for the organization, said in an audio recording that “the Kingdom supported normalization by opening up airspace to Israeli aircraft on their flights to the Emirates,” according to the recording broadcast by the Al-Furqan Foundation. , affiliated with the terrorist organization.
And he considered that “the normalization agreements are a betrayal of Islam”, adding that “the objectives are many, starting with hitting and destroying oil pipelines, factories and facilities that constitute the source of income for the tyrannical government.”
In fact, in less than a month, Saudi Arabia witnessed two terrorist operations, one of which was adopted by ISIS. In a statement published by jihadist accounts on the Telegram application, the organization claimed the detonation of an explosive device in a cemetery for non-Muslims in Jeddah, in western Saudi Arabia, during the commemoration of European diplomats who commemorated the armistice agreement. on November 11, 1918..
The explosion resulted in the injury of at least two people, and the ISIS statement read: “A security detachment of Caliphate soldiers managed to plant an explosive device at the Al-Khawajat cemetery in the Al-Balad neighborhood in the city of Jeddah “, adding that” after several consuls from “European countries” met, the mujahideen detonated them and wounded several of them. “
Prove its existence
Nasser Zuhair, a researcher in international relations and Middle East affairs, believes that ISIS is seeking, through recent operations, to establish its presence in the Arabian Peninsula after a significant decrease in terrorist operations in this region in the recent period.
Speaking to the Al-Hurra channel, he added that ISIS is trying to exploit the confrontation between the moderate and hard-line camp in Saudi Arabia because of the changes the Crown Prince is making to prove his worth, and is also trying to exploit the anger of Muslims against France, to recruit young people and target Western interests in the Kingdom.
While the writer and political analyst, Mubarak Al-Ati, said that what happened in Saudi Arabia are small individual operations, which are part of a wave of extremism and anger that sweeps the world after the publication of the cartoons insulting the Prophet Muhammad, highlighting his rejection of any terrorist act, large or small.
Speaking to the Al-Hurra channel, he affirmed that there is a wave of extremism appearing on the surface in the world, and it began in France and Austria.
In turn, Dr. Fayez Al-Duwairi, a military analyst, stated that the operations carried out were less complex than those carried out by ISIS, which means that those who carried out the operation were the “lone wolves “who supported the ideology of ISIS but did not receive training from the members of the organization.
Striking with an iron hand
These operations take place at a time when the Kingdom is suffering from the outbreak of the Corona virus, the fall in oil prices and the consequent economic crisis, in addition to the increasing attack of the Houthi group on the Kingdom, the last of which were the last hours, when the joint forces command of the Saudi-led coalition announced that it had “intercepted and destroyed two ships.” Two remote-controlled car bombs dropped by the Iranian Houthi terrorist militia from Al-Hodeidah governorate.
On Thursday, the Saudi channel Al-Akhbariya announced that coalition forces had intercepted and destroyed two booby-trapped drones launched by the Houthis, allied with Iran, towards Saudi Arabia.
For his part, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged Thursday to “attack with an iron fist” the extremists in the conservative kingdom, following two attacks on the French consulate and a cemetery for non-Muslims, one of which was adopted by the state. Islamic.
The young prince said in statements published by the state news agency: “Our action today has become preemptive and we will continue to attack with an iron hand anyone who tries to compromise our security and stability,” adding that “extremism is no longer acceptable in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “
Great difficulty
The Jeddah cemetery operation came less than two weeks after a knife attack on the French consulate in Jeddah, and the injury of the consulate guard, following the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in Paris.
Also, in recent days, the Dutch police announced that several bullets were fired at the Saudi embassy in The Hague, without causing any casualties, without knowing the reasons for the shooting.
Observers fear a repeat of the scenes of 2003 and 2004, when Al Qaeda declared war on the Kingdom, due to its position on the American war against Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq, and carried out dozens of terrorist operations, the most Notable of which was the attack on Western-inhabited housing complexes in Saudi Arabia, resulting in many problems. 20 people were injured and 194 others were injured.
Regarding the ability of the crown prince to deal with this new file, Zuhair emphasized that the crown prince is capable of handling the terror file, but will face great difficulties due to his weak experience in the terrorism file, according to him, because the The former crown prince, Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, was responsible. About him for many years at the Home Office.
He noted that not only had the leadership changed, but many officials in the ministry had also changed, so the current officials had no experience in this file, and had not dealt with large cases of this type before, highlighting that the strategy and the confrontation mechanism is what will determine the ability of the Crown Prince. About the confrontation.
He pointed out that what will make the confrontation difficult for the Saudi security services is the dependence of the organization on the strategy of the “lone wolves”, who are dispersed people without leadership, who carry out the operations that are required of them, which hinders their access .
Smarter
Al-Ati believes that Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s policy is capable of tackling this wave of extremism, indicating that the current situation in the Kingdom is much better than in 2016, continuing: “We no longer hear about major terrorist operations. that hit the country every year. Saudi Arabia is safer and more attractive for investment. “
The Saudi Interior Ministry is now believed to be better prepared and capable of dealing with terrorism after its restructuring, indicating that it has managed to stamp out dozens of terrorist operations in recent months.
It should be noted that since Mohammed bin Salman took over as crown prince in 2017, an unprecedented social openness included allowing concerts, lifting the ban on driving for women, reopening cinemas and reducing the role of religious police.
The prince, who is seen as the de facto ruler of the kingdom, pledged three years ago to end militant demonstrations in Saudi Arabia, saying on Thursday: “I made promises in 2017 that we will eliminate extremism immediately, and to In fact we have started a serious campaign to address the causes and address the phenomena. In one year, we were able. Abolish an ideological project carried out over 40 years ”.
