The Saudi government officially condemns violent jihad and terrorism, emphasizing a moderate interpretation of Islam. Since the early 2000s, particularly after Al-Qaeda attacks within the kingdom in 2003, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a key counterterrorism partner, cooperating with the U.S. and others to disrupt groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS. The government has implemented legal reforms, such as the 2017 counterterrorism law, to prosecute terrorism-related activities and restrict funding for extremist groups. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has publicly rejected extremist ideologies, stating in 2017 a commitment to βdestroyβ fundamentalist ideas immediately, as part of the Vision 2030 reforms aimed at modernizing the country. These reforms include curbing the influence of religious police, revising school curricula to remove violent interpretations of jihad, and promoting βinner jihadβ (self-improvement) over militant interpretations.
The Saudi government officially condemns violent jihad and terrorism, emphasizing a moderate interpretation of Islam. Since the early 2000s, particularly after Al-Qaeda attacks within the kingdom in 2003, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a key counterterrorism partner, cooperating with the U.S. and others to disrupt groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS. The government has implemented legal reforms, such as the 2017 counterterrorism law, to prosecute terrorism-related activities and restrict funding for extremist groups. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has publicly rejected extremist ideologies, stating in 2017 a commitment to βdestroyβ fundamentalist ideas immediately, as part of the Vision 2030 reforms aimed at modernizing the country. These reforms include curbing the influence of religious police, revising school curricula to remove violent interpretations of jihad, and promoting βinner jihadβ (self-improvement) over militant interpretations.