MOI DISCUSSES DE-RADICALIZATION PROGRAMS DURING

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 002476 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR DAS GGRAY DEPT OF ENERGY PASS TO A/S KKOLEVAR, A/S KHARBERT, AND MWILLIAMSON S/CT FOR GFEIERSTEIN AND BAVERILL DS/ATA FOR KMALOY TREASURY PASS TO A/S CLOWERY DHS PASS TO TWARRICK AND DGRANT CIA PASS TO TCOYNE E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2017 TAGS: KCIP EPET ENERG PTER ASEC SA SUBJECT: MOI DISCUSSES DE-RADICALIZATION PROGRAMS DURING INTERGENCY VISIT REF: RIYADH 2474 Classified By: DCM Michael Gfoeller for reasons 1.4 (b) (c) and (d). ¶1. This cable has been cleared by S/CT Deputy Coordinator Feierstein. -------------- Summary -------------- ¶2. (C) During a December 3-5 Interagency visit (ref A) to discuss greater USG cooperation with the Ministry of Interior (MOI) on its modernization drive, Dr. Hadleg, Director of the MOI's Radical Ideology Department, made a presentation to the delegation on the SAG's approach to de-radicalization of Saudi extremists and the War of Ideas. He highlighted the program's efforts to re-integrate participants into mainstream Saudi society, ensuring they will forfeit substantial social and economic benefits if they returns to radicalism. The MOI claims an 88 to 90 percent success rate in rehabilitating extremists, while cautioning there are "no guarantees." MOI Major General Dr. Saad Al-Jabri noted he hoped the MOI might host a "best practices" conference in the area of de-radicalization, perhaps in the spring. -------------- Program Based on Research Findings -------------- ¶3. (C) Dr. Hadleg overviewed the SAG's programs to rehabilitate young and impressionable recruits who had been employed by Islamic extremists, noting the SAG believed the "hard approach" is not the only approach to fighting extremism in society. Dr. Hadleg described the extensive studies MOI has carried out on those recruited into extremist groups, and explained the structure of its de-radicalization program was based on its findings. The MOI had identified a few key features of those recruited by extremist organizations: most were middle class or wealthier, late teens to early twenties, and at least high-school educated. As Saudi Arabia increasingly cracks down on extremist preaching in mosques in public, most were recruited on the internet. -------------- MOI's De-Radicalization Program Structure; Give Them Something to Lose -------------- ¶4. (C) Dr. Hadleg highlighted some of the key features of the SAG's de-radicalization program: detainees under this program are not mixed with the general prison population of hardened criminals, but kept separate. The program emphasizes outreach by imams to show extremists the errors in their religious judgments and interpretations of the Koran. Outreach by social workers, psychologists, and respected members of society are also part of the program. The program features structured group discussion sessions in the morning, followed by sports and outdoor activities in the afternoon, with religious instruction in the evening. For those who "graduate" successfully into re-integration into society, the MOI offers assistance with employment, marriage, and housing. Dr. Hadleg also detailed the outreach to the detainees' tribes and families, with whom the MOI works closely to ensure participants do not return to an extremist path. Each step of the program is designed to tightly bind the participant into mainstream Saudi society, and ensure he will forfeit substantial social and economic benefits if he returns to radicalism. He specifically noted that RIYADH 00002476 002 OF 002 participants are encouraged to marry, have children, and seek employment or further education. -------------- MOI claims an 88 to 90% Success Rate, But There are no Guarantees -------------- ¶5. (C) The MOI claims an 88 to 90 percent success rate in rehabilitating extremists who pass through their program, but Dr. Hadleg offered careful caveats, noting "there are no guarantees." He indicated the man who carried out the bombing attacked on the MOI building in 2004 had participated in the rehabilitation program. More optimistically, he noted that the Guantanamo returnees had demonstrated no mis-conduct to date. Dr. Hadleg clarified that merely participating in the program did not automatically entitle a prisoner to release. Generally, those determined to be ringleaders will not be eligible for release. -------------- Reaching Out to Other Nations for "Best Practices" in De-Radicalization -------------- ¶6. (C) NEA Deputy Assistant Secretary Gray asked if the SAG has shared information or best practices with other countries, such as Egypt, which has an active de-radicalization program. Dr. Al-Jabri responded that he would welcome the opportunity to host a workshop or forum on de-radicalization initiatives, perhaps in the spring, for affected countries in both the Arab world and the west, to share experiences and best practices. S/CT Deputy Coordinator Feierstein noted that there was broad recognition that Saudi Arabia was a leader in de-radicalization initiatives, with Morocco being another example in the Near East region of a government with a successful program. ¶7. (C) In discussing the propensity for violence in rapidly modernizing societies, Dr. Hadlag remarked that, "Saudi Arabia is different because it is based on Islam, and we are modernizing in a gradual way so that we do not have the same social problems." Dr. Al-Jabri stated that "Saudi Arabia has always been a conservative society, but not a violent one." He went on to explain the religious roots of Wahabism, which emphasize that even though you may dis-agree with the government, you do not have the right to attack it. FRAKER