Comments on: Saudis Thwart Terrorst Threat to Haj

By: Sparky

Sparky — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:41:25 +0000

I was never really aware that bringing down the Saudi government and embarrassing it at Hajj was an AQ imperative…

I guess everything is really mumbled because no one is really listening to them anymore? I don’t know really!!!~

I feel like they are losing at any rate

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:24:48 +0000

Oh, I find it believable, just not very smart. Bringing down the Saudi government–and embarrassing it at Haj would be a major step in that direction–is an Al-Qaeda imperative. That it would blow up in the terrorists faces is no reason to think they wouldn’t go ahead with such a plan as they have demonstrated in the past. Attacks in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, India, etc. have shown that while these guys have the means and some talent in carrying out their plans, the thinking behind the plans is more a matter of dreaming than reality.

By: Sparky

Sparky — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:15:43 +0000

Are we to believe that Al Qaida is attacking Muslims at Hajj?

Come on?

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:30:22 +0000

I have no idea who that ‘US official’ was, but I suspect it was someone at the US Embassy who did not have authority to speak to the press. It could have been the Ambassador, though, who might not, at that particular time, have been eager to have his name in the press for whatever reason. It happens, and for sometimes good reason.

Even though I had the authority to speak to the media in my job, it wasn’t always politic to do so, particularly if I were frankly discussing a subject touchy to the host government.

On the other hand, the official didn’t actually say much. Likely the reporter included the attribution just to add some weight to the article!

By: chucho

chucho — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:46:52 +0000

“Those who didn’t have current permits were deported, U.S. officials said.”

Wow such (anonymously cited) authority and resolve!

But the reality is much different. People were more or less freely entering and leaving the holy cities because individual security officials genuinely believe — as is clearly and unambiguously stated in the Qur’an — that no Muslim can prevent another Muslim from performing Haj. I was told numerous stories of security checkpoint officers waving through everyone. In one story, the officers simply demanded that the Hajis on the bus who do not have permits stand up. Then they let them all through, warning them than they might be caught at the next checkpoint. At the next checkpoint, same thing. I really don’t blame the officers for this — after all they’ve been told all their lives that austere Wahabbism is the way to go — so after filling their heads with this strict austere form of Islam, how do you then ask them to block Muslims from performing Haj?