Terrorists misjudged Kingdom’s strength

Terrorists have failed to understand the Kingdom and its people. They have underestimated the strength of the forces they are trying to confront. They have misjudged the Saudi people. In the second bombing of a Shiite mosque last Friday, they sought to sow their stock-in-trade. They sought to sow terror. But instead, they have reaped the cold anger of every decent man and woman. They have also discovered the resolution of all who live and work in the Kingdom.
They have sought to create discord and suspicion. Instead they have brought forth a mighty wave of determination, determination to preserve the unity and safety of the Kingdom and each and every one of its citizens.
The May 29 attack on the Al-Anoud Mosque in Dammam was another heinous crime, coming just one week after the suicide bombing at Al-Qadeeh, Qatif, which killed 21 worshippers attending Friday prayers. This time the authorities were prepared. There are no “soft targets” in Saudi Arabia any more. Though three innocent people died in this latest attack, the men of violence had hoped for a far bigger butcher’s bill. And they were disappointed.
It is now clear that from the point of view of the callous terrorists, this was a crime that went seriously wrong. The suicide bomber was disguised as a woman. He attempted to enter the female section of the mosque but the doors had been locked. Suspicious security men turned “the woman” away. When he tried to go in through the male entrance, he was challenged. He ran back to the car park and detonated his suicide vest, killing four people nearby.
The authorities have once again acted with commendable speed. They have established the identity of 16 suspected accomplices. This suggests that there was some level of intelligence on the terror group. It would, however, have been too much to have expected the security forces to pinpoint the precise target. But now these men are hunted animals. They will be found and dealt with. A reward of SR5 million ($1.3 million) is likely to be of more interest to some of those involved in the terror cell. These men have proved that they are without principle, without conscience. Why should they not betray their fellow terrorists for an immense sum of money?
By contrast, Saudis and expatriates who work in the Kingdom need no inducement to help identify those who are seeking to attack the peace and unity of its society.
It is notable that a second reward has been offered for information that helps foil further attacks. The bounty of SR7 million ($1.9 million) will encourage even greater vigilance among ordinary people. It will also surely tempt some of those who, voluntarily or through fear, are helping the terrorists. After all they are uniquely placed to have some idea of the next bloody enormity that is being planned.
But there is a wider issue here, an issue far larger than financial reward. The Kingdom is in the midst of one of the most dramatic transformations anywhere in the world. Only China can match the extraordinary growth in infrastructure. The Kingdom is building an advanced national rail system. Both Riyadh and Jeddah are acquiring state-of-the-art urban mass transit systems. New industrial cities are being built. These will channel Kingdom’s prosperity into the considerable enhancement of a non-oil economy. The country boasts highly-advanced communications technologies and some of the world’s finest universities. The largest and strongest economy in the Arab world, Saudi Arabia is emerging as a regional financial powerhouse. It is the preeminent global center of principled Shariah-compliant retail and wholesale banking. It is also the region’s premier military power which, most recently in Yemen, has countered the meddling of Iran. In short, Saudi Arabia stands for everything that the terrorists do not. Where the Kingdom is building on behalf of all its citizens, the terrorists are seeking only to destroy in the name of their nihilistic, blasphemous and in truth ludicrous ambitions.
It is a tragic reality that the terrorists will try to execute their evil designs. The Kingdom must not and will not drop its vigilance. The murderers will now find it even harder to detect a chink in the Kingdom’s armor. But terrorists always have the advantage of choosing their helpless targets. No one in the Kingdom, be they in the security forces or a member of the public, can now afford to relax their guard. But when you compare the blood-crazed antics of these fanatics with the sophisticated and advanced Saudi society, it is clear who is doomed to be the loser.