Saudis tackle extremism through medium of TV

[PsychoDad]

Saudis tackle extremism through medium of TV
By Harry de Quetteville, Middle East Correspondent
(Filed: 11/12/2005)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/12/11/wsaud11.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/12/11/ixworld.html

A ground-breaking television series in which repentant radical Islamists reveal what they call the "deceit of jihad" is captivating Saudi Arabia, the kingdom that produced 15 of the September 11 plane hijackers.

The five-part series, Deceit in the Name of Jihad, is being aired in prime time on Saudi state television and the satellite channel, Al Arabiya. It includes interviews with Saudis who claim to have fought alongside Muslim fanatics in Afghanistan and Iraq before realising they had been "brainwashed" by al-Qaeda recruiters.
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The programme is a sign of growing willingness in the Muslim world to confront issues of terrorism and Islamist extremism.
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Mahmoud Ahnad was more direct. He said: "We have got lunatics here and the government is trying to clear them up. With the programme it is saying to people, 'If you don't believe us about extremism, fine. But you have to believe these guys. They've done it'."