Saudi prince opens anti-terror alliance
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia’s assertive crown prince yesterday opened the first high-level meeting of a kingdom-led alliance of Muslim nations against terrorism, vowing that extremists will no longer “tarnish our beautiful religion.”
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s words come as the Islamic State group, which sparked the creation of the alliance, has been driven out of Iraq and lost its self-described capital in Syria.
However, the alliance doesn’t include Iran, Iraq or Syria, while member nation Qatar sent no one to attend the oneday Riyadh gathering amid a diplomatic standoff between Doha and four Arab nations led by the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia announced the alliance in December 2015, when the crown prince was still only the kingdom’s defense minister. Since then, his father King Salman has elevated the 32-year-old prince to be next in line for the throne in the oil-rich kingdom. The crown prince also recently put a number of wealthy princes, businessmen, military leaders and others under arrest over corruption allegations at various luxury hotels in Riyadh.
The alliance, initially announced with 34 nations, now includes 41, according the Saudi government. Addressing the defense ministers and other high-ranking officials, Mohammed bin Salman said yesterday’s meeting sends “a strong signal that we are going to work together and coordinate together to support each other.”