PROMINENT SAUDI SCHOLAR PUBLICLY CRITICIZES BIN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 001981

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPT PLEASE PASS TO NEA/ARP FOR BJACHIM/SRAMESH AND NEA/PPD
FOR WDOUGLAS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2027
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PTER KTFN KDEM KPAO PHUM SA
SUBJECT: PROMINENT SAUDI SCHOLAR PUBLICLY CRITICIZES BIN
LADEN, AL-QA'IDA

REF: A. RIYADH 01894 B. RIYADH 08825

Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission David Rundell for reasons
1.4(b) and (d).


1. (U) On the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist
attacks in the United States, Saudi Arabian Sheikh Salman bin
Fahd al-Awdah posted a letter on his popular internet
website, www.islamtoday.com, strongly criticizing Al-Qa'ida
for its militant ideology and targeting of innocent
civilians. In the letter, which received a great deal of
coverage in the press and was widely discussed throughout the
Arab world, al-Awdah posed several pointed questions to Bin
Laden and accused him of "forever tarnishing the image of
Islam." Al-Awdah rebuked Bin Laden for breading "a new type
of violence, radicalism, and fundamentalism" and said that
attacks carried out in Morocco, Algeria, and Saudi Arabia in
the name of Al-Qa'ida only serve to upset Muslim societies in
those countries. He questioned Bin Laden's motives by
pointing out that the 9/11 attacks made Bin Laden famous but
did little to further the cause of Islam. Al-Awdah also
attributed to Bin Laden the increasing number of young Muslim
men in prison, the growing and unprecedented level of
suspicion toward Islamic charities, and the sullied image of
Islam and Muslims worldwide.


2. (S/NF) Al-Awdah is a former professor who participated in
the "As-Sahwa al-Islamiya," or Islamic Awakening reform
movement, which was prominent in the early 1990s and directed
against the Saudi Royal Family for their support to the U. S.
during the Gulf War (ref A). Since being released from
prison in 1999, al-Awdah has built a large following amongst
Saudis and abroad, advocating a moderate, balanced
interpretation of Islam. He is widely known and respected
for his public statements against violence in the name of
Islam.


3. (U) Public reaction to al-Awdah's letter was mixed. In a
running dialogue in internet chat rooms and on news sites,
some welcomed al-Awdah's remarks, while others labeled him a
stooge of the SAG. "May God blacken your face, you scholars
of rulers. May God protect Osama Bin Laden," wrote one
author on the website www.jaralqamr.com. Several write-ins
praised al-Awdah for striking a major blow to Al-Qa'ida,
while others lamented the letter and charged that al-Awdah
had misjudged Bin Laden and lost his way. "Al-Awdah himself
needs advice. We hope that God will bring him back to the
truth," noted one individual on www.aljazeeratalk.net.


4. (C) Several of Post's Saudi contacts said they agree with
al-Awdah's remarks in the letter and they praised the scholar
for his candid assessment of the damage Bin Laden and
Al-Qa'ida have caused to Islam and the societies where
Al-Qa'ida has carried out attacks. Some of Post's Saudi
academic contacts pointed out that Bin Laden and the
extremists are quickly losing their appeal in Saudi Arabia as
citizens try to meet the demands of their everyday lives.
The fallout from the crash of the Saudi stock market in 2006
and the rising costs of foodstuffs are a constant distraction
for Saudis, they said, leaving people little opportunity to
fall prey to the jihadist ideology of Al-Qa'ida. In the end,
suggested these Saudis, the letter will neither hurt nor help
al-Awdah. They pointed out that, while he may lose the
support of some extremists, the vast majority of the Saudi
population appears to support him in this instance.


5. (S/NF) COMMENT: Al-Awdah is a prominent fixture in Saudi
society and even has a weekly television program that has
become a staple in many Saudi homes. Described as
"charismatic" and a talented orator, he is said to have a
unique ability to preach moderation and advocate for the
advancement of Muslim society using passages from the Qu'ran
and renowned Islamic texts. Al-Awdah speaks the language of
the conservatives -- but also provides an alternative
interpretation of these texts in a way that appeals to both
conservatives and moderates. While al-Awdah might not be
"pro-U.S.," he is clearly not a supporter of Bin Laden or
militant ideologies. The fact that al-Awdah can publicly
criticize Bin Laden and Al-Qa'ida and still maintain his
credibility with the conservative Saudi public is testament
to his wide network of supporters in the Kingdom. END COMMENT.

RIYADH 00001981 002 OF 002


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