Overview

Saudi Arabia, homeland of Osama bin Laden and many 9/11 hijackers, is widely considered to be the heartland of radical Islamism. For decades, the conservative and oil-rich kingdom contributed recruits, ideologues and money to jihadi groups worldwide. Yet Islamism within Saudi Arabia itself remains poorly understood. Why has Saudi Arabia produced so many militants? Has the Saudi government supported violent groups? How strong is al-Qaida's foothold in the kingdom and does it threaten the regime? Why did Bin Laden not launch a campaign there until 2003? This 2010 book presents the first ever history of Saudi jihadism based on extensive fieldwork in the kingdom and primary sources in Arabic. It offers a powerful explanation for the rise of Islamist militancy in Saudi Arabia and sheds crucial new light on the history of the global jihadist movement.

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9780511809439

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Reviews

'The definitive work on Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, this book makes an exceptional contribution to studies of Saudi Arabia, political Islam, and comparative political violence.' David Commins, Dickinson College 'Thomas Hegghammer presents the first substantiated study of the jihadist movement in Saudi Arabia. He brilliantly analyses a wealth of hitherto unexamined material and adds both depth and subtlety to our understanding of Islamic politics in the Kingdom. In doing so, he perceptively highlights the importance of pan-Islamism as a mobilising and radicalising factor. This informed and conceptually suggestive study deserves a very wide reading.' James Piscatori, The Australian National University '... draws on an impressive collection of biographies and written sources from al-Qaeda websites. ... This dense book is not an easy read for novices, but it is a welcome contribution to understanding the Saudi paradox and the enigma of the QAP.' Times Higher Education 'Jihad in Saudi Arabia fills a gap in the existing literature on violent Islamism and specifically the history of Muslim activism inside the kingdom. ... this book is one of the best and most comprehensive studies of Islamist activism yet written and is a must-read ...' The Muslim World Book Review

Author Information

Thomas Hegghammer is a Senior Fellow at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI). He has contributed chapters to several edited books and his articles have appeared in journals such as International Affairs, The International Journal of Middle East Studies, The British Journal of Middle East Studies, The Middle East Journal, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, and The Times Literary Supplement.

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