Under Mohammed bin Salman's leadership, Saudi sets gold standard for counter-terrorism

Al Arabiya

3 days ago

Across the globe, nations have experimented with a wide array of counter-terrorism strategies. From overwhelming military offensives to ideological campaigns and regional alliances, countries have taken different approaches to confronting one of the most persistent threats of the 21st century.
Yet, amid these diverse efforts, Saudi Arabia stands out for having developed a uniquely comprehensive and effective model of counter-terrorism under the decisive leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
His vision has transformed the Kingdom's security doctrine into one that is neither reactive nor narrowly focused. Instead, it integrates military power, ideological engagement, digital innovation, regional diplomacy, and civic awareness into a broad-spectrum framework.
As terrorism continues to evolve—particularly with the rise of lone actors, digital radicalization, and transnational funding networks—Saudi Arabia's proactive and layered response offers a blueprint for others to follow.
What makes Saudi Arabia's strategy particularly notable is that it addresses the full life cycle of terrorism: prevention, detection, disruption, rehabilitation, and long-term reintegration. Rather than relying solely on force, the Kingdom has developed institutions and systems that strike at the root causes of extremism while also neutralizing its manifestations.
In doing so, Saudi Arabia has not only reduced attacks within its borders but has also emerged as a leader in regional and global anti-terror efforts. Its model deserves close study by other countries seeking long-term and sustainable security.
Digital innovation as the first line of defense
In an era where extremist ideologies are spread through social media and encrypted apps, Saudi Arabia has embraced technology as a core component of its counter-terrorism strategy. The Kingdom has invested heavily in digital monitoring systems, artificial intelligence, and advanced surveillance tools capable of detecting potential threats before they materialize. This digital vigilance is not confined to monitoring physical infrastructure or borders—it extends deep into cyberspace where radical content is most often disseminated.
One of the central pillars of this digital approach is the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology, known as Etidal, which was inaugurated in 2017 and continues to evolve. Etidal's mission is to use artificial intelligence and data analytics to detect, analyze, and respond to extremist content online.
It maps out networks of radicalization and tracks the movement of extremist narratives across different languages and regions. This kind of proactive data mapping enables authorities to identify early-stage radicalization, dismantle online cells, and interrupt recruitment pipelines before they metastasize into violent action.
Saudi Arabia's use of digital technology is also preventative.
It aims not only to detect threats but to dilute their ideological impact. By amplifying counter-narratives, promoting moderate interpretations of religion, and flooding the internet with verified information, the Kingdom attempts to undermine the very foundation of extremist ideologies.
Military precision and institutional integration
While Saudi Arabia's digital strategy targets ideology and recruitment, its military and intelligence apparatus remains a robust and indispensable component of its counter-terrorism efforts. The Kingdom's military interventions are not indiscriminate campaigns of suppression. Instead, they are highly coordinated, intelligence-driven operations that work in tandem with national security agencies.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia consolidated many of its counter-terror functions under the Presidency of State Security. This powerful institution combines intelligence gathering, law enforcement, special operations, and technical surveillance under a single command structure. The result has been a more streamlined, responsive, and a unified security strategy that minimizes bureaucratic silos and enhances operational efficiency.
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia leads the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), a multilateral alliance comprising more than 40 Muslim-majority nations. This coalition conducts joint exercises, facilitates intelligence-sharing, and trains member states in the latest counter-terrorism techniques.
Most recently, Saudi Arabia hosted advanced human-intelligence training sessions, further cementing its role as a hub for regional counter-terror excellence.
These military dimensions are not meant to replace other strategies but to complement them—targeting the operational and logistical capabilities of terror cells while digital and ideological efforts attack their moral and psychological roots.
Raising awareness and rehabilitating the mind
Recognizing that terrorism often begins in the mind before it materializes into action, Saudi Arabia has placed significant emphasis on education, cultural engagement, and public awareness.
A centerpiece of this effort is the widespread reform of school curricula, designed to promote tolerance, pluralism, and critical thinking. These reforms are not cosmetic; they are aimed at ensuring future generations are less susceptible to extremist ideology and more equipped to engage in constructive dialogue.
Saudi Arabia's public messaging campaigns also play a critical role.
Through television, radio, and digital platforms, the Kingdom actively counters extremist propaganda and offers narratives of national unity and religious moderation. Institutions like the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue foster interfaith and intra-faith discussions, providing safe spaces for communities to express differences while reinforcing a sense of shared identity.
Another standout initiative is the Mohammed bin Nayef Counseling and Care Center, commonly known as the 'Care Center,' which focuses on rehabilitating and reintegrating individuals who were previously radicalized or involved in terrorist activity.
Unlike punitive models that simply incarcerate, the Care Center emphasizes psychological therapy, religious counseling, social reintegration, and even vocational training. This holistic approach helps ensure that individuals who have left extremist movements are not only de-radicalized but given a path back into society.
Security reforms and intelligence coordination
Security in Saudi Arabia is no longer seen as the job of isolated agencies or armed personnel scattered across checkpoints. It is a deeply integrated and systemic function, operating across multiple layers of government and society. The restructuring of national security under the Presidency of State Security brought with it a level of coordination that other nations often struggle to achieve.
Border control, surveillance, biometric systems, and internal checkpoints are now synchronized with national intelligence databases, allowing real-time threat assessments and immediate responses.
Intelligence gathering is supported by ground operatives as well as cyber monitoring, ensuring that the country's response to terrorism is both swift and informed. What distinguishes Saudi Arabia's approach here is the prioritization of intelligence over brute force.
Arrests and raids are often preceded by extensive investigation, reducing the potential for error and limiting the risk of collateral damage.
The Kingdom's ability to disrupt domestic terrorist plots—often before they leave the planning phase—is a testament to this coordinated approach. These operations rarely make international headlines, precisely because they are so successful in neutralizing threats before violence occurs.
Regional and global cooperation
Saudi Arabia understands that terrorism does not respect borders.
To that end, it has become a major player in international counter-terror diplomacy. It has contributed substantial funding to global initiatives, including to the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Center. But its contributions are not merely financial; the Kingdom actively engages in shaping counter-terror policy through organizations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Through the IMCTC, Saudi Arabia works closely with African and Asian countries to address cross-border terror threats, with a particular focus on cutting off financing and recruitment in fragile states. In the Sahel, for instance, Saudi Arabia has supported regional security efforts and helped train local forces to deal with militant groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Moreover, the Kingdom regularly hosts regional conferences and intelligence summits, creating platforms for information-sharing and joint planning. This globalized approach ensures that Saudi Arabia is not only protecting its own population but contributing meaningfully to international security architecture.
Why sole reliance on military power falls short
One of the key lessons from Saudi Arabia's experience is that military might, while necessary, is insufficient on its own.
Military campaigns can disrupt terrorist operations, but they cannot eradicate the ideological and social roots of extremism. The US and other Western nations have learned this the hard way in Afghanistan and Iraq, where military victories were often followed by ideological vacuums that enabled new forms of extremism to flourish.
Saudi Arabia's model emphasizes that the fight against terrorism must also be a fight for minds and hearts.
Without digital vigilance, ideological reform, social rehabilitation, and international cooperation, military victories are temporary at best. Countries that focus solely on armed responses risk creating cycles of violence and alienation that feed the very extremism they seek to defeat.
A model worth emulating
In conclusion, Saudi Arabia's counter-terrorism strategy is not just effective—it is exemplary.
Under the decisive leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom has combined traditional force with modern tools, tactical precision with ideological depth, and domestic vigilance with international solidarity.
This multifaceted approach recognizes the complexity of modern terrorism and rises to meet that challenge with a carefully layered response. By integrating digital innovation, educational reform, military coordination, security infrastructure, and global diplomacy, Saudi Arabia has built a resilient defense system that is adaptable and sustainable.
In a world where terrorist threats continue to evolve, Saudi Arabia's strategy offers not just inspiration, but a practical roadmap for others.
It is time for nations grappling with extremism to look beyond one-dimensional tactics and adopt a more holistic, forward-thinking approach—one that acknowledges, as Saudi Arabia does, that the true war on terror must be fought on every front.