International Shia News Agency
Europe

PM admits to Saudi Arabia’s role in funding radicalism in the UK

SHAFAQNA – Earlier this January PM Minister David Cameron admitted he fears cash from Saudi Arabia is funding schools that encourage extremism, but said a cosy relationship with the Arab nation is GOOD for Britain’s security.

The Prime Minister defended his Government’s close relationship with the hardline Gulf state, calling it a vital ally.

Saudi Arabia has come under increasing scrutiny amid claims the fanatical ‘Wahhabi’ strain of Islam – centred in Saudi Arabia – inspired the growth of Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists.

Saudi rulers, who recently sparked international outrage with their mass execution of 47 prisoners earlier this year, have also faced accusations they have tried to export puritanical Wahhabism abroad over the last three decades, at a cost of £67billion ($100bn).

The cash is spent on building mosques or establishing ‘madrassas’ – religious schools – in other Muslim nations such as Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and parts of Africa.

There have also been suggestions Saudi money is financing extremist groups in Britain.

Mr Cameron confessed “we need to look very carefully” at education programmes funded through Saudi Arabia, but suggested Riyadh had already awoken to the issue itself.

Asked whether there was a link between extremism in the UK and money from Saudi Arabia, the Prime Minister told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We do need to look at where money… it is already illegal for anyone to fund extremist groups in our country. We ban, proscribe, extremist groups.

“I think there are deeper connections where you see what is being taught in schools – not perhaps always here but around the world – and the money that is funding those educational materials.

“That’s a conversation that’s starting to happen.”

He added: “I think if you look at what Saudi Arabia is doing, they have a good programme for deradicalising people who have become radicalised and terrorists.””But if at the same time, money from states is funding educational programmes that can incubate a sense that one religion is right and another one is wrong, and anti-Semitic materials and what have you, then we need to look very carefully at that and that is exactly what we are doing.

“I think Saudi Arabia and other countries know that is an area they need to look at.”

But despite the growing row over Britain’s links to Saudi Arabia, which includes multi-billion pound defence contracts and secretive security deals, Mr Cameron defended his ministers’ close workings with Riyadh.

Highlighting Saudi’s own efforts to combat radicals, he said: “Our relationship with Saudi Arabia is important for our own security.

“They are opponents of Daesh [ISIL] and this extremist terrorism that is causing so much damage in our world.”

Earlier this month, Ukip leader Nigel Farage challenged Mr Cameron to be a “little bit more gutsy” and rethink Britain’s relationship with “our great mates” in Riyadh.

He said: “I think it’s time we had a reappraisal of who Saudi Arabia are, what our relationship is and stop extremist talk turning the minds of young male Muslims in this country towards terrorism

Related posts

Unemployment among Saudis down to 7.7% in fourth quarter of 2023

nafiseh yazdani

Saudi Arabia: Uemployment rate at its lowest level due to increase in female employment

bahramian

Saudi Arabia provides 24-hour healthcare for pilgrims during Ramadhan

nafiseh yazdani

Saudi Arabia:More than 8 million perform Umrah in first half of Ramadhan

nasibeh yazdani

Saudi Arabia: 4-day Eid Al-Fitr holiday for non-profit sectors

nasibeh yazdani

Save the Children: Over 6,000 foreign children trapped in ‘dire’ Syria camps

leila yazdani

Leave a Comment