Family ties

Terrorism | Saudi royals come under attack from the radicals they once courted | Jill Nelson

The streets of Saudi Arabia are replete with the influence of the nation's official religion: Movies and most books are strictly prohibited, women are not allowed to drive, and apostates are publicly prosecuted.

This Islamic radicalism is so extreme that it doesn't hesitate to condemn its own as infidels and seek their destruction. That is precisely the predicament engulfing the Saudi royal family, whose past attempts to buy al-Qaeda's approval and solidify their power base turned out to be a deal with the devil.

In a massive plot with an eerie resemblance to 9/11, terrorist factions were preparing to sabotage the nation's ruling family by piloting planes into oil refineries, targeting government leaders with suicide bombers, and breaking militants out of jail. The plan—believed to be in its final stages—was foiled during a nine-month offensive targeting seven cells and resulting in the arrest of 172 people, according to an announcement made by the nation's Interior Ministry on April 27. Police also seized a large cache of weapons and explosives and found more than $5.3 million in currency during the sweep.