Gulf | Saudi Arabia
'They promised us paradise through martyrdom'
Show features 12 youths who gave up extremism
- By Mariam Al Hakeem, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 December 22, 2005
Riyadh: Many of the Saudi youths who had been lured to terrorism were victims of false promises that terrorism is the easiest way to attain paradise.
"They promised us paradise through martyrdom," said a Saudi youth who has abandoned extremism. A number of other reformed young men echoed his view.
Their revelations were broadcast live on Saudi television as part of a serial entitled Experiments in the name of Jihad. Twelve youths who gave up deviant thoughts appeared on Tuesday on the fourth episode of the programme titled 'Regions of clash'.
The episode focused on five major aspects related with extremism. These included temptations for waging holy war (jihad), impact of the decision to join extremist camps, influence of media that illustrate the immensity of death and destruction caused to Muslims across the world, especially in Palestine and Iraq, wrong notions about jihad, and possibility of bringing these youths back from their deviant paths and accommodating those returning from the "regions of clashes".
The youths narrated the circumstances that led them to extremist camps. "The plight of the Muslim ummah as well as the death and destruction caused to our brethren forced us to join with deviant groups. We were easily lured with the promise of paradise through joining in the efforts to alleviate the suffering of our brethren," one of them said.
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