Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08RIYADH754
2008-05-13 09:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
TERRORIST REHABILITATION SYSTEM IN SAUDI ARABIA
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000754
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER SA
SUBJECT: TERRORIST REHABILITATION SYSTEM IN SAUDI ARABIA
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000754
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER SA
SUBJECT: TERRORIST REHABILITATION SYSTEM IN SAUDI ARABIA
1. (U) SUMMARY: Media reports released by the MOI reinforce
the Saudi
perspective that inculcations of young Saudi men in extremist
ideology
stems from a lack of proper direction in religious
instruction, not
religious instruction itself. A media tour of the Riyadh
Care Center,
the first of five rehabilitation centers for terrorists,
impressed
the idea of treating terrorism as a drug. The tour heavily
emphasized
the accountability of the rehabilitation system "the
prisoners care
and safety are top priorities and debriefings are videotaped
and
monitored by MOI officials. END SUMMARY.
New Studies on Demographics of Saudi Terrorists
-------------- --
2. (U) According to the May 1 Saudi Gazette article titled
"Study gives
insight on terrorist' lives," the MOI released two reports
researched
and led by Prof. Abdulrahman Al-Hadlaq, Director General of
Cultural
Security at the MOI, based on interviews with convicted
terrorists
in Saudi prisons. The reports reinforced existing beliefs
that most
terrorists are young men, between the ages of 20 and 30 years
old.
The reports emphasized that the majority of terrorists come
from large
families where they are unsupervised and hence "confused"
about a
number of crucial Islamic teachings, according to Prof.
Al-Hadlaq.
3. (U) The article continues that the reports stated among
those studied,
10% of terrorists were not "religious" people, and that 35%
had traveled
to Chechnya, Afghanistan, or Iraq.
Publicizing the New Rehabilitation System
--------------
4. (U) According to another May 1 article in the Saudi
Gazette titled
"New prison system helps straighten out deviants," a tour was
provided
to 25 members of the Saudi media at the Riyadh Care Center.
This
center is one of five planned rehabilitation centers. The
others
will be located in Jeddah, Dammam, Qassim, and Abha. Each
will hold
approximately 1200 patients, although the Jeddah Care Center
is planned
to hold 1600. These centers are part of SAG two-track
strategy
in dealing with terrorism, one actively fighting terrorist
groups and
individuals and the other turning terrorists through
rehabilitation
programs.
5. (U) The article stated that the centers employ
sociologists,
psychiatrists, members of the Ulema, and terrorist experts to
counsel
the patients. The centers are physically designed with a mix
of
individual and group cells and give patients access to books,
RIYADH 00000754 002 OF 002
newspapers, and televisions. These centers were built
because such
rehabilitation programs would be ineffective in existing
prisons as
they are not designed for such programs. Space for families
and other
members of the patient,s "social network" will also be
available,
including rooms for conjugal visits by married patients.
6. (U) The article made clear that the centers will have
24-hour medical
staff available. In addition, during "interrogations," which
is more
appropriately translated as debriefings, video is sent to the
prison
headquarters and then to "higher authorities" in the MOI.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: The most notable issue concerning the
press tour
of the Riyadh Care Center was precisely the desire for
publicity.
The press was given an encompassing tour, and specifically
both the
large medical staff and oversight regarding "interrogations"
were
stressed. It is clear that the MOI sees such centers as
playing a
significant role in public perception, especially overseas,
that the
SAG is committed to all aspects of combating terrorism, not
just
militarily engaging them, but also rehabilitating those and
turning
them back into peaceful members of society. Future
observations may
prove whether positive public perception is more desired than
the
actual effect of such rehabilitation programs. END COMMENT.
FRAKER
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER SA
SUBJECT: TERRORIST REHABILITATION SYSTEM IN SAUDI ARABIA
1. (U) SUMMARY: Media reports released by the MOI reinforce
the Saudi
perspective that inculcations of young Saudi men in extremist
ideology
stems from a lack of proper direction in religious
instruction, not
religious instruction itself. A media tour of the Riyadh
Care Center,
the first of five rehabilitation centers for terrorists,
impressed
the idea of treating terrorism as a drug. The tour heavily
emphasized
the accountability of the rehabilitation system "the
prisoners care
and safety are top priorities and debriefings are videotaped
and
monitored by MOI officials. END SUMMARY.
New Studies on Demographics of Saudi Terrorists
-------------- --
2. (U) According to the May 1 Saudi Gazette article titled
"Study gives
insight on terrorist' lives," the MOI released two reports
researched
and led by Prof. Abdulrahman Al-Hadlaq, Director General of
Cultural
Security at the MOI, based on interviews with convicted
terrorists
in Saudi prisons. The reports reinforced existing beliefs
that most
terrorists are young men, between the ages of 20 and 30 years
old.
The reports emphasized that the majority of terrorists come
from large
families where they are unsupervised and hence "confused"
about a
number of crucial Islamic teachings, according to Prof.
Al-Hadlaq.
3. (U) The article continues that the reports stated among
those studied,
10% of terrorists were not "religious" people, and that 35%
had traveled
to Chechnya, Afghanistan, or Iraq.
Publicizing the New Rehabilitation System
--------------
4. (U) According to another May 1 article in the Saudi
Gazette titled
"New prison system helps straighten out deviants," a tour was
provided
to 25 members of the Saudi media at the Riyadh Care Center.
This
center is one of five planned rehabilitation centers. The
others
will be located in Jeddah, Dammam, Qassim, and Abha. Each
will hold
approximately 1200 patients, although the Jeddah Care Center
is planned
to hold 1600. These centers are part of SAG two-track
strategy
in dealing with terrorism, one actively fighting terrorist
groups and
individuals and the other turning terrorists through
rehabilitation
programs.
5. (U) The article stated that the centers employ
sociologists,
psychiatrists, members of the Ulema, and terrorist experts to
counsel
the patients. The centers are physically designed with a mix
of
individual and group cells and give patients access to books,
RIYADH 00000754 002 OF 002
newspapers, and televisions. These centers were built
because such
rehabilitation programs would be ineffective in existing
prisons as
they are not designed for such programs. Space for families
and other
members of the patient,s "social network" will also be
available,
including rooms for conjugal visits by married patients.
6. (U) The article made clear that the centers will have
24-hour medical
staff available. In addition, during "interrogations," which
is more
appropriately translated as debriefings, video is sent to the
prison
headquarters and then to "higher authorities" in the MOI.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: The most notable issue concerning the
press tour
of the Riyadh Care Center was precisely the desire for
publicity.
The press was given an encompassing tour, and specifically
both the
large medical staff and oversight regarding "interrogations"
were
stressed. It is clear that the MOI sees such centers as
playing a
significant role in public perception, especially overseas,
that the
SAG is committed to all aspects of combating terrorism, not
just
militarily engaging them, but also rehabilitating those and
turning
them back into peaceful members of society. Future
observations may
prove whether positive public perception is more desired than
the
actual effect of such rehabilitation programs. END COMMENT.
FRAKER