Q&A
Christopher Boucek
{
"authors": [
"Christopher Boucek"
],
"type": "other",
"centerAffiliationAll": "",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "",
"programs": [],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"Middle East",
"Saudi Arabia",
"Gulf"
],
"topics": [
"Security"
]
}
Source: Getty
Other
Carnegie Guide to the Saudi Eleven
The Carnegie Endowment offers a first-of-its-kind interactive site to explore the people, places, and organizations that impacted the lives of eleven prominent Saudi terrorists known as the “Saudi Eleven.”
Published on Sep 7, 2011
Saudi Arabia released the names of 85 of its most wanted terrorists shortly after the formation of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in January 2009. Eleven of those men shared a similar story: Each had been detained at Guantanamo Bay, underwent rehabilitation after returning to Saudi Arabia, and subsequently fled to Yemen and joined AQAP. Secret U.S. government documents recently released by WikiLeaks offer unprecedented insight into how the “Saudi Eleven” embraced jihad.
Ten years after 9/11, this interactive site offers a first-of-its-kind opportunity to explore the people, places, and organizations that impacted each individual’s radicalization and, for some, their ultimate renouncement of radical Islam. By representing relationships visually, users can explore important figures and patterns of behavior common to the Saudi Eleven. Only through a better understanding of the social and other connections between all of the actors tied to global terrorism can more effective strategies be crafted to reduce the threat.
Each person, place, and organization is represented as an interconnected icon. Visitors can click on an icon to see basic biographical information, or click on the lines connecting any two icons to learn more about the relationship. Each member of the Saudi Eleven has their own unique timeline, which allows users to see how a particular individual’s experience unfolded chronologically. Individual’s movements around the world are also plotted on a map. Visit the site to journey through the lives of some of the world’s most dangerous terrorists.
About the Author
Christopher Boucek
Former Associate, Middle East Program
Boucek was an associate in the Carnegie Middle East Program where his research focused on security challenges in the Arabian Peninsula and Northern Africa.
- Yemen After Saleh’s Return and Awlaki’s Exit
- Rivals—Iran vs. Saudi ArabiaQ&A
Christopher Boucek, Karim Sadjadpour
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- The Impacts of the Houthis’ Advance Could Extend Well Beyond Saudi ArabiaCommentary
The Horn of Africa countries are among those facing a new security calculus.
Andrew Leber, Lesley Anne Warner
- Will the Far Right Change Europe’s Russia Policy?Commentary
The European far right might fail to steer EU policy in the direction Russia wants, but they will create enough chaos inside Europe to benefit the Kremlin.
Dimitar Bechev
- The Denmark-Greenland-U.S. Agreement Needs to Stand the Test of TimeCommentary
The new U.S.–Denmark–Greenland agreement will help Washington exert political, economic, and financial dominance under the guise of security. Yet, it acknowledged Copenhagen’s and Nuuk’s sovereignty on the island.
Marc Pierini
- A Black Sea Truce Is About Global Food Security, TooCommentary
A summer of escalation in the Black Sea has hurt Ukraine economically and is exacerbating world food security. A truce is needed—as is a broader reframing of Europe’s Ukraine strategy.
Thomas de Waal
- Three Ruptures and the End of Pax Americana in the Middle EastCommentary
As the U.S. stumbles in its war with Iran, we are likely to see an acceleration of its disengagement from the region.
Michael Young
