Jihad in Saudi Arabia: Violence and Pan-Islamism Since 1979

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.

Author: Thomas Hegghammer
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 03/31/2010
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9780521732369

Review Citation(s):
Choice 03/01/2011

About the Author
Hegghammer, Thomas: - 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.