(C) GOK SEES STRONG SAUDI COMMITMENT AGAINST

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004680 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2013 TAGS: PREL SA KU SUBJECT: (C) GOK SEES STRONG SAUDI COMMITMENT AGAINST TERRORISM Classified By: AMB. RICHARD H. JONES; REASON 1.5 (B,D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The GOK assesses that key Saudi leaders Prince Sultan and Prince Nayif have become strongly committed against terrorism since the May 12 Riyadh attacks. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) NEA PDAS Larocco called on Shaykh Sabah al-Khalid al-Hamad al-Sabah, Chairman of Kuwait's National Security Bureau, October 13, during a brief visit to Kuwait. This message reports what Shaykh Sabah al-Khalid (protect throughout) had to say about Saudi Arabia (other topics septels). ¶3. (C) Sabah al-Khalid said that since the May 12 Riyadh attacks, the Saudi leadership -- i.e. senior members of the ruling family -- had finally concluded that terrorism represented a direct threat to the family. Neither Defense Minister Prince Sultan nor Interior Minister Prince Nayif had, until then. Both had accommodated extremists, in order to keep peace; they had never admitted that their own ranks contained extremists in key positions. Now they do admit it, and have taken decisive action. It is a big job, and the Saudi leaders understand they will suffer additional casualties, but the Kuwaiti leadership believes the Saudis will press on systematically, purging the ranks of the military, National Guard and Ministry of Interior, while working to provide direct guidance to imams for their Friday sermons. ¶4. (U) Ambassador Larocco was the source of this message, but did not have time to clear the cable itself. ¶5. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. JONES