The Sunni Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) has boasted that key U.S. Middle East ally Saudi Arabia is the top provider of terrorists for the jihadist group in Iraq, reports Fox News, citing Iraqi military sources.
Reports of a Saudi Arabia/Islamic State alliance have been ongoing, despite the Saudi “friendship” with the West:
i) Slaves taken by the Islamic State are sold in auctions in Saudi Arabia;
ii) Saudi Arabia was caught funding Taliban forces in Afghanistan, and the Taliban’s former financial minister regularly traveled to Saudi Arabia to raise millions of dollars;
iii) A leaked intelligence report from Germany’s BfV domestic intelligence agency and Federal Intelligence Service (BND) revealed that Saudi Arabia (along with Kuwait and Qatar) was promoting and funding the growth of the jihadi Salafi ideology in Germany, where it has already attracted 10,000 followers and continues to expand.
Saudi Arabia and the Islamic State share a history in the Wahhabi movement. “The Islamic State’s religious genealogy comes from ‘Jihadi Salafism’, a theological current that is very old in Islam that is quite literalist.” Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab is the founder of Wahhabism, rooted in the Salafist tradition. He eventually connected with “the leader of the al-Saud family in 1744. That alliance had very strong and lasting effects,”: the Saudi state was and is based on Wahhabism.
Al-Wahhab “would appoint teachers to educate people in his version of the faith” once a town was conquered by his jihadis. “He wrote a number of short books that were the basis for the teaching, books that are used by ISIS today.”
Saudi Arabia has denied financing the Islamic State, and the Islamic State is not happy with the Saudis, either: “ISIS claims that the Saudi state has deviated from the true beliefs of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, and that they are the true representatives of the Salafi or Wahhabi message.” Nonetheless:
A high-ranking Iraqi intelligence officer said, “The Saudi presence in ISIS is very large. What we have left are mainly Iraqis and Saudis.”
“Report: More Citizens of Saudi Arabia Have Joined Islamic State Than Any Other Country”, by Edwin Mora, Breitbart, March 10, 2017:
The Sunni Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) has boasted that key U.S. Middle East ally Saudi Arabia is the top provider of terrorists for the jihadist group in Iraq, reports Fox News, citing Iraqi military sources.
Sunni Saudi Arabia shares an estimated 500-mile-long border with war-ravaged Iraq.
Nevertheless, Fox News reports that the Saudi jihadists crossed into Iraq over the border the country shares with both Turkey and Syria.
The news outlet learned from unnamed Iraqi intelligence sources that jihadist from the Saudi kingdom comprise nearly one-third (up to 30 percent) of all ISIS terrorists in Iraq, adding that “Saudis comprise the largest single contingent of ISIS fighters, with Russian Chechens making up the second-largest contingent.”
Speaking to the news outlet on condition of anonymity, a high-ranking Iraqi intelligence officer said, “The Saudi presence in ISIS is very large. What we have left are mainly Iraqis and Saudis.”
“The Saudis make up a large number of suicide bombers, as they already have the ground work of radicalization installed in their minds from radical sheikhs in Saudi [Arabia]. And we’ve caught important ISIS commanders,” he added.
Fox News points out that it has seen various ISIS-linked photographs and documents showing identification and credit cards of Saudi terrorists.
The report comes nearly a month after an article by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) revealed that President Donald Trump’s administration is considering forming a military alliance with major Middle East allies, including the Sunni Saudi kingdom, to combat Shiite Iran.
President Trump’s anti-Iran coalition would bring together Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Israel, Egypt, and Jordan.
The Sharia law-compliant kingdom Saudi Arabia is regarded as a hotbed and top global exporter of radical Islamic thought, namely the Sunni extremist ideology of Wahhabism, adhered to by ISIS and various other jihadists groups.
Saudi Arabia imposes extremely strict Islamic laws on its citizens.
“Wahhabism was born in Saudi Arabia. Saudi is leading those extremist organizations like ISIS,” an anonymous Iraqi official told Fox News. “They have high-ranking officials and fighters among their ranks. Saudi is nothing without U.S. protection; it is only a bite for Iran to eat.”
Sunni Saudi Arabia considers Shiite Iran its regional rival. Iran exerts tremendous influence over the Shiite-led government of Iraq where militias backed by the Islamic Republic are fighting ISIS.
Saudi Arabia is part of the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS in Iraq and Syria…..
Stan Lee says
I am not surprised concerning the priorities of Saudi citizens. Saudis were the majority of hijackers and terrorists which caused so much devastation to the U.S.A. on September 11,2001.
Bamaguje says
Why is Saudi Arabia not on Trump’s visa ban list?
berserker says
Because we are cozy with the House of Saud. We have no ethics; we only care about money. We have also decided that we are going to fight on the side of the Sunnis against the Shias. Just like France, we love selling SAr billions of dollars in arms. France even conferred the Legion of Honour on the Crown Prince for his role in the fight against terror.
– http://www.vox.com/2016/3/21/11275354/saudi-arabia-gulf-washington?
And why is Pakistan not on the list? How did the country become such an exporter of Jihadis. Look up Brzezinski and the fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan.
gravenimage says
It should be. Trump said initially that he was planning on expanding the list–I very much hope he includes Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Expat88 says
Because the Saudi government can easily vet its own citizens and also Saudis are not generally trying to immigrate to America or other Western countries. Saudis very rarely get citizenship outside of Saudi. They just go to other countries temporarily either to study or for business. The Saudi terrorists that attacked us on 911 were given visas by the US Embassy officials in Riyadh,
Polk1970 says
What can be said about a kingdom whose National SYMBOL Is a SWORD?
gravenimage says
And the writing on the Saudi flag is the Shehada, or Islamic statement of faith. We see how this plays out in a place where women cannot drive, victims are persecuted for “witchcraft”, and those accused of adultery are beheaded.
Expat88 says
They are Crossed Swords and also have the date tree meaning civilization.
Jeanette says
Actually, unless they have changed it since I left Arabia, it is a single sword placed horizontally under Arabic writing: “There is no god but God: Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”
The design is snow white on a field of forest green.
Robyt says
Trump is making same mistakes of his predecessors. And this is going on since the devil of denaro has been the only driver for alliances and friendship. The results were so predictable, nevertheless nothing seems to change.
gravenimage says
Things *are* changing here in the US–slow as it is. It looks–knock on wood–as though the Trump moratorium on Muslim immigration from six nations is holding, and he has talked about expanding the list.
Instead of counseling despair, why don’t you *get out and push*?
Jeanette says
I agree; no matter how difficult things seem, as Churchill said, “Never give up!”
DFD says
Unbelievable, must be fake news.
The Saudis, saintly and good as they are? They are moderate Muslims! OK, OK, such a creature doesn’t exist according to the Koran, Muslim scholars, etc., but the don’t know the real Islam – unlike ‘our’ “Christian” clergy, from the Pope on downward.
Be that as it may, according to the western media, they are moderate and our only reliable ally. Quite apart from major oil suppliers, ‘investors’ and providers of scholar ships, foundations, multi-culti organizations plus an endless stream of donations…
I am shocked in utter disbelieve. (No I am not smoking any kind of stuff, only ciggies.)
EmHotep says
Saudi and Qatar are the financiers of the islamic terror and Turkish PM erdogan is the organiser. Everybody knows this truth. To me they are not homo sapiens but different creatures, sooner or later we need to eradicate islam or at least cage them in their so called countries.
A brand new world can be created without muslim killers …
Frank Anderson says
Em, you might enjoy the movie “Priest” and consider the possible symbolism.
Jeanette says
I seem to recall that their distant ancestors were living in Canaan when God commanded the Israelites to kill all of the Canaanites. This was, according to some, because Canaan was where the remaining descendants of the Nephilim were living.
The Nephilim were thoroughly evil. Maybe the Muslims are related to them.
davej says
Every day millions of Americans send part of their paycheck to Saudi Arabia when they fill up their SUV tanks. The Saudis then send much of that money straight back here to fund the building of mosques, establishment of Islamic study departments in our Universities and general promotion of Sharia law in the USA.
Our “happy motoring” is funding our own destruction. In theory we could be driving electric cars charged by solar panels and domestic natural gas – but we can’t be bothered.
berserker says
They also buy billions of dollars in weapons that the US and France sells them. We love our buddies, the good old Saudis. And they love us because we are such Dhimmis with no principles.
http://www.vox.com/2016/3/21/11275354/saudi-arabia-gulf-washington?
Angemon says
What incentive do the Saudi and Russians have to fight ISIS? Having thousands of their more jihadi-minded citizens return with battle experience? No, they can never be trusted to fight ISIS since they stand to lose if ISIS is gone.
alex9234 says
So if Saudi Arabia and Russia are the two largest suppliers of foreign fighters to ISIS, who are numbers 3, 4, and 5? I’d be willing to bet that China is one of the top suppliers, as, like Russia, they also have a large Muslim population and there are more Muslims living in China, both in raw numbers and percentage, than the U.S.
gravenimage says
Alex, here’s a story about this from just two days ago in The Telegraph:
“Islamic State: Where do its fighters come from?”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11660487/Islamic-State-one-year-on-Where-do-its-fighters-come-from.html
alex9234 says
Thanks for that.
Voytek Gagalka says
Surprises me not. Most of 911 jihadi hijackers were also Saudi citizens. It is hight time to stop pretending that S.A. is any “ally” to the US.
berserker says
Unlikely to change:
http://www.vox.com/2016/3/21/11275354/saudi-arabia-gulf-washington?
gravenimage says
Yes, Voytek–these barbarians are not our allies.
berserker says
At least they are working. Most Saudis don’t work. I wonder whether some of the billions of weapons that we give our buddies, the Saudis, ends up in the hands of these jihadis.
gravenimage says
More citizens of Saudi Arabia have joined the Islamic State than from any other country
…………………….
They’ve now outstripped Tunisia. They must be so proud…*Ugh*.
billybob says
I get the impression that Islam is a slippery slope. At the top left are peaceful American Muslims, and the line slopes down from there at a 45% angle to the right. At the bottom right there is ISIS, and the Wahabis a bit to the left and above. If you are standing somewhere on that slope, the tendency is to always slide down, and it takes some effort to remain where you are. To climb up and to the left and eventually leave the graph takes a great deal of effort.
mortimer says
Christine, thanks for this excellent report. Soddy Barbaria is the greatest enemy of the West. They created Wahhabism and the modern jihad movement.
Frank Anderson says
Mortimer: For which they are truly proud.
Allan Mandrowski says
So how exactly is Iran more dangerous than Sunni Saudi Arabia? 90% of world wide terror is Saudi Wahhabism funded.
alex9234 says
Nukes.
Frank Anderson says
Alex, please consider repeated reports over several years that Pakistan’s bomb program has probably agreed to sell SA bombs pretty well whenever SA wishes to buy them. SA is holding back, probably, to avoid the turmoil with the US and others when that takes place.
alex9234 says
Even so, I’d consider both the Saudis and Iran to be equally dangerous. Iran, not Saudi Arabia, is threatening to use nuclear weapons against Israel. Heck, not too long ago, the Saudis considered working with Israel to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions. That ALONE is very telling.
Frank Anderson says
As far as immediate ?????? I’d have to agree with you. But things, leadership and priorities change. Remember when Iran was a strong US ally? Not so now. We (the non-muslims) need to understand exactly where we stand in islamic teaching. And act accordingly. There is no room for non-believers. There is no room for joy, pleasure, truth, honor, inquiry, invention or development. Only remaining in the past is important to those we face. Just because SA smiles at us and sells oil at whatever price we are stupid enough to pay does not mean when a time comes in the future that we will have just as much to fear as from any other evil state.