2010
First Published
4.03
Average Rating
304
Number of Pages
Part of Series
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.
Avg Rating
4.03
Number of Ratings
297
5 STARS
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3 STARS
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Author
Thomas Hegghammer
Author · 4 books
Thomas Hegghammer is a Norwegian academic who has studied jihadism since before 9/11. He is senior research fellow at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and adjuct professor of political science at the University of Oslo. His latest book is The Caravan: Abdallah Azzam and the Rise of Global Jihad.
