The Times from London carries this piece on Saudi rehabilitation programs for extremists. The article says that both those involved in violent acts and those only with ‘tendencies’ are enrolled, though I recall Saudi government statements saying that those ‘with blood on their hands’ would not be eligible. I can’t untangle that.
In any event, the article is a pretty good one, spelling out the philosophical reasoning behind the program and noting that other Saudis seem to accept the program as worthwhile and something other than ‘bribery’ to lead these young men away from extremism. Definitely worth reading.
A Betty Ford clinic for jihadis
PlayStations, new kitchens and art classes are part of Saudi Arabia’s
softly, softly approach to rehabilitating terrorists
Shiraz MaherIt has been called the Betty Ford clinic for jihadists and within minutes of arriving at the Care Rehabilitation Centre on the outskirts of Riyadh, you can see why. The small complex, where the Saudi Arabian government is exploring a new way of reforming its wayward radicals, feels more like an exclusive boarding school than a Saudi jail.
Inmates have access to swimming pools, table tennis and PlayStations. In the evenings, guards and prisoners play football. An air-conditioned tent sits adjacent to the sports field, serving as a dining hall and common room where, when I visited, the prisoners were tucking into rice and lamb with fresh fruit for pudding.
In return for this privileged treatment, the prisoners – Islamic extremists, some of whom are convicted murderers – are obliged to attend lessons based around Islamic law and the jurisprudence of jihad. A team of psychologists teaches detainees how they should manage their emotions, particularly when reacting to world events.
…
HT to Jeb Koogler at Foreign Policy Blog
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July:09:2008 - 01:47
I think this type of rehabilition will be the most successful kind for people who have no bloodshed on their hands.
However, this is too easy a punishment for murderers and is completely unacceptable from an Islamic point of view. They should die by the sword. If they were engaged in illegal Jihad and did not follow the prescriptions of Jihad according to what Allah established, then they are murderers and must be put to death.
There is so much hypocrisy it is disgusting.
It is absurd that the Saudi government is treating them this way.
July:09:2008 - 11:47
I’ve been following the program for some time and have done quite a bit of research on Saudi rehabilitation and counter-radicalization efforts. Perhaps this may help clarify things a bit.
The opportunity to participate in the rehabilitation and counseling program is open to all. However, anyone that has been involved in terrorist violence within the kingdom is not eligible for early release through this program. Such individuals are still encouraged to participate in the religious debates and dialogues with hopes that they will recant, but thus far they have not been released as a result. It is understood that some such individuals have renounced their former beliefs. According to recent interviews in the kingdom, those that have been sentenced also can not be released until their sentence has been completed. Moreover, if there is reason to believe that someone will be violent after their release, then the ministry does not release them at the end of their sentence.
As noted today, trials of persons charged with participation in domestic terror attacks are planned, and a specialized court is to be created to handle these cases.
The recidivist rate—as of November 2007—of program participants was about 1.5%. None of the Saudi Guantanamo returnees has been rearrested on any security charges.
I’ve written on different aspects of the program, the newly built rehab prisons, and the reintegration of Guantanamo returnees, and will have several longer articles coming out before too long with much more detail.
Cheers,
Chris
cboucek@princeton.edu