Political analyst Dawoud al-Shiryan said it was clear from the age profile of dozens of Saudis wanted, arrested or shot in a series of skirmishes between militants and police in recent months that this was a new generation of mujahidin. "The problem is the new generation. People in their 20s, most of them born after the Iranian revolution. The security solution is not enough. These people are willing to die, and we have a lot of jobless and economic problems. When Saudis go to Iraq it's partly because of these pressures. You cannot take away 30 years of something with a few sermons. It needs a major plan in culture, media and education."
| I thought it was the Afghan-era guys who were going onto Iraq from Soddy Arabia? Make up your minds... |
London-based dissident Muhammad al-Massari said Saudi police, long sidelined by the powerful morality police in this strict Islamic state, were ill-equipped to confront an insurgency. "The training is miserable and the psychological preparation is very bad. A big percentage of the police will be pro-bin Ladin," Massari said.
| "So we might as well just give up. To hell with it." |
"The militants are not willing to be taken into custody without a fight. Most of the fights have been bloody and the government does not announce every fight," he added. |