Saudi duplicity fuels extremism

So was Saudi Arabia’s announcement of a 34-nation “Islamic military alliance” to fight terrorism “all over the world”. Saudi Defence Minister, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, says the move “emanates from the keenness of the Muslim world to fight this disease.” Neither initiative will achieve much, however, unless Saudi Arabia, with its pre-eminent influence over Sunni Islam, is prepared to stop funding the international spread of militant Wahhabist doctrine. Wahhabism is the fountainhead for the ideology of the so-called Islamic State caliphate as well as that of al-Qa’ida as it was established by Osama bin Laden.

As John Lyons and Jennine Khalik wrote on Saturday, moderate Islam in Australia is in danger from extremist Salafist organisations with strong links to Wahhabism. The most puritanical form of Sunni Islam, Wahhabism was founded by the 18th century, preacher Muhammad ibn And al-Wahhab.

With pie-in-the-sky optimism, the UN resolution called for a ceasefire next month, negotiations between President Assad and the Syrian opposition and a government of unity in six months. It then envisages democratic elections in 18 months. But it ignored Islamic State’s control of vast tracts of Syria and Iraq, and the way that control is sustained by under-the-radar Saudi Wahhabist support for Islamic State against the Iranian-led Shia forces backing the Assad regime.

The announcement of the “Islamic military alliance’’ by the ambitious, locally educated 30-year-old Prince Salman was part of his battle against the US-educated crown prince and Interior Minister Muhammad bin Nayef, 56, — who also studied with the FBI and Scotland Yard. The House of Saud is deeply divided. Arab states must do far more to fight Islamic State. The new alliance, however, would be more credible if the Riyadh regime stopped financing Wahhabi madrassas and clerics spreading Islamist extremism.