From the 1979 Mecca Siege to 9/11: A Teacher’s View of Saudi Extremism
A former instructor at a Riyadh school for the Saudi royal family recalls the 1979 Grand Mosque siege and argues that Saudi Arabia’s internal crises sowed the roots of the 9/11 attacks.
The author taught members of the Saudi royal family in Riyadh and witnessed the violent 1979 Grand Mosque takeover in Mecca. He contends that the kingdom’s compromises with radical elements created a domestic environment that later fed the ideology of the 9/11 hijackers. According to him, the attacks were an outward expression of Saudi internal turmoil rather than a purely external threat. The piece links a series of internal crises to the eventual global terror event.
Why it matters
It links Saudi Arabia's historic internal radicalization to the origins of the 9/11 attacks, offering context for current security debates.
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