Fahd bin Abdul Aziz
Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz
Naef Bin Abdul Aziz
Salman Bin Abdul Aziz
Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz
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Middle Eastern fundamentalism began with al-Saud in
1724 when Abdul-Wahab, a fundamentalist preacher, and al-Saud family made
a pact. Today, Wahabbism is the cornerstone of fundamentalism in the
Middle East.
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THE IKHWAN
(al-Mutawa'a)
In the early 1900's, during his wars against al-Rasheeds and other tribes
in Saudi Arabia, Abdul Aziz supported and armed a religiously zealous
group of Bedouins that called themselves the "Ikhwan" or CAVES
(Committee for the Advancement of Virtue and Elimination of Sin). These
Bedouins were Wahabbis and adhered to the very strict Islamic rules of
that sect. They fought alongside Abdul Aziz with a vengeance and a
savagery that struck fear in the heart of their enemy. According to
historian Said K. Aburish's book, The House of Saud, "The [Ikhwan]
were fanatics of the Wahabbi sect to which Ibn Saud [Abdul Aziz] belonged,
who were to provide the backbone of his conquering forces and whose
savagery wreaked havoc across Arabia." The Ikhwan, he continues, were
responsible for the death of more than 400,000 people between 1900 and
1930--10% of the total indigenous population at that time. The Ikhwan were
the mainstay of Islamic extremism and fundamentalism for they rejected
everything that was western. In fact for the last 50 years, the group
which now calls itself al-Mutawa'a has opposed the introduction of radio,
television, shopping malls, supermarkets and anything imported. They
practice their own brand of Islam; a brand the Koran does not condone.
Today, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, their "Islam"
controls the daily lives of Saudi Arabians. They restrict women from
appearing in public without a veil. They flog people in public for not
adhering to a strict code of behavior which has never been defined. They
flog a man for simply talking to a woman on the street. They force
non-Muslims to go to mosques during prayer time; they terrorize many
westerners who visit Saudi Arabia. They force themselves into your house
if they hear music, and they do not allow hotels to have a piano playing
in their lobby because it is against al-Mutawa'a belief. They carry sticks
which they use often to terrify both Saudis and foreigners.
Al-Mutawa'a plays the same role the Ikhwan played for Abdul Aziz when he
was king. They keep the citizens of Saudi Arabia fearful so al-Saud can
appropriate the country's resources while the people worry about a
sideshow called al-Mutawa'a. Al-Mutawa'a are financed and supported by the
House of Saud today as part of domestic policy. They are the "Spanish
Inquisition" of Saudi Arabia--religious zealots trying to force their
understanding of religion on people and countries.
During the Fahd era, several fundamentalist groups were formed in and
around Saudi Arabia, encouraged by al-Mutawa'a's success. The most violent
were the politically active Hamas in the Occupied Territories and Islamic
Jihad which has its roots in Iran. In fact, it has been documented that
Saudi Arabia has financed Hamas in the late eighties. Financing extremism
in and around Saudi Arabia is an important tool for al-Saud to balance and
justify their rule. As the Guardians of Mecca and Medina they must show
Muslims that they are strict Guardians. In order for them to gain
legitimacy in Arab eyes, they finance, support and nurture extremism. At
the same time, they must show a contrary image to the West which backs
their rule. Through international business contracts and propaganda, they
paint a portrait of a moderate and friendly government. This balancing act
has worked for years but now everyone--the extremists, the intellectuals,
the young, the middle class, the students, and those who benefit the most
from the status quo, are wondering which face is the true face of the
Saudi government. Years of governmental obfuscation and silence has
exhausted the Saudis' trust that words can effect change. They acted, and
when they did, five Americans lay dead in a terrorist bomb on an American
compound in Riyadh. Saudis are fed up with corruption and autocratic rule.
Instead of using cassettes and faxes, they have turned to violence.
In addition to financing al-Mutawa'a, the House of Saud has financed and
supported the following organizations :
HAMAS (West Bank and Gaza Strip)
King Fahd has financed and nurtured Hamas when it first started in order
to create a balance against Yasser Arafat. Hamas turned their anger
against the Israelis first by throwing stones and then taking innocent
lives through terrorism.
FIS (Algeria)
King Fahd financed this Islamic organization to undermine a moderate
Socialist government supported by most Algerians and, more importantly, to
disrupt the Algerian oil flowing to Europe, thereby creating more
customers for Saudi oil.
JAM'AT ISLAMIAH (Pakistan)
King Fahd supported this Islamic movement in Pakistan to keep that
government from pursuing secular policies that did not fit with the
overall scheme of al-Saud House of what a government's role should be to
the people of Pakistan. Pakistani independence, geographic proximity to
Saudi Arabia, size, and natural resources posed a threat to Saudi Arabia,
in King Fahd's eyes. It pitted the Wahabbi sect against a progressive
Islamic country.
HEZBOLLAH OF THE HIJAZ (Saudi
Arabia)
A disorganized group, they are an offshoot of al-Mutawa'a with such
extreme ideas that they make the Wahabbis look liberal. Their zealot ideas
are incomprehensible but they are against any Western ideas and culture.
This is a group of people who think that the devil is on earth in the form
of a television, a car, a radio station, etc...
MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD (Egypt)
By supporting and secretly financing Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, King
Fahd was attempting to take the spotlight from Egyptian President Hosni
Mubarak, who was seen as a major Arab leader. Egypt's peace treaty with
Israel gave it an international status which the Saudis envy. By creating
internal fundamentalist problems for Egypt, King Fahd hoped to increase
his prominence in the Arab world by taking away any leadership role Egypt
could play.
MUJAHEDDIN
(Afghanistan)
Publicly, King Fahd asserts that he financed the Mujaheddin of Afghanistan
to defend an Islamic country against communist Russia. His real intent was
to create a militia far from Saudi Arabia that could be used abroad as
well to defend al-Saud domestic interests. The Mujaheddin today scoff at
Saudi Arabia, going so far as to attack the Saudi Embassy in Kabul in
October of 1992. Three members of the team that blew up the American
compound in Riyadh in 1995 have been trained by the Mujaheddin. |
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