Grand Mosque (1979) hijacker Juhayman’s son overcomes father’s legacy, becomes Saudi Arabian colonel

[Saif al-Arab]

Mecca attacker Juhayman’s son overcomes father’s legacy, becomes Saudi colonel

Many Saudis on social media have been sharing the news of the promotion, some of whom say this is only possible in a “moderate and just” Saudi Arabia. (via social media)

Staff writer, Al Arabiya English
Monday, 3 September 2018

Hathal bin Juhayman al-Otaybi, the son of an extremist who seized Mecca and the Grand Mosque in 1979, has overshadowed his father’s radical legacy and was recently promoted to the position of colonel in Saudi Arabia’s National Guards.

The rise of extremism in Saudi Arabia began with Hathal’s father in Nov. 20, 1979, when a group of 200 to 300 young men led by Juhayman al-Otaybi stormed the Great Mosque of Mecca. The incident lasted two weeks and hundreds were killed as a result.

Hathal was only one-year-old when his father attacked Mecca.

Many Saudis on social media have been sharing the news of the promotion, some of whom say this is only possible in a “moderate and just” Saudi Arabia. They lauded the fact that the son of someone who initiated so much extremism in the country has now an integral part of the security apparatus.

“His father, Jahayman, was the leader of the terrorist group that attacked the Grand Mosque in Mecca in 1979. Now this is the son Hathal, who has ascended to the rank of Col. Had he been the son of another country, they would have gotten rid of him,” one twitter user wrote.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/Ne...er-promoted-to-be-a-Saudi-Guards-colonel.html

https://twitter.com/x/status/1034770072554885120

From a long line of warriors faithful to the ancient land that is Arabia. A quite common feature among the existing clans and tribes.

A great example of why your forefathers crimes/faults (in this case the father) should not stigmatize his/her off-spring.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Frankly speaking, this guy's father, created a huge mess which an entire generation (since then) has suffered from on all imaginable fronts domestically. I don't think that those 200-300 terrorists (from all corners of the world) had an even remote idea of what kind of mess they were kickstarting moments prior to their suicidal decision.

Luckily this unnatural period (the Grand Mosque Seizure 1979 followed the "Islamic Revolution" next door and the rest is history) is being reversed successfully by MbS and his likes in the past 3 years although King Abdullah's reforms kickstarted this. However what was wasted cannot be regained which is the tragedy here. Nobody knows where KSA would be today. Maybe we would not be thinking about a Saudi Vision 2030 but already way ahead of it. Alas.

I should be "hating" this guy just due to his family association but something is telling me that such people would be the first and last ones on a battlefield due to the stigma that they carry (unwillingly and without any fault) and their wish to "prove themselves"·

Hard to relate to but I think that we all can if we think about it for a bit longer.

LONG before my time (luckily) but everyone knew about it, everyone studied this incident but it was pretty much a taboo as far as I recall it. It was KSA's 9/11 long before the 9/11 and unlike the 9/11 (due to geopolitics of the time) the society and people did not get the chance to confront such thoughts, rather the regime in power (as to counter the Iranian Mullah propaganda and appease the conservative clerics) "agreed to" or turned a blind eye to much of the demands of the terrorists which created the Sahwa period which frankly speaking already began when King Faisal started giving refugee to radical Egyptian, Syrian etc. Muslim Brotherhood members that were thrown out of their countries due to KSA (back then) and King Faisal and later kings having an "Pan-Islamic" worldview contrary to most Arab republics which were Arab nationalist first and foremost and aligned to the Soviet Bloc.

Later the USSR-US proxy war in Afghanistan kickstarted (literally a few months later) and the rest is history (more poison for our society, 1000's of youth's lives wasted etc., conservative Mullah's gaining more power) etc.

That is why King Abdullah was so loved by the people and why MbS enjoys so much popular support, especially among the youth. It's not because his initials are MbS or he is young (although that does not hurt) and almost 1.90 meter tall but due to his internal politics and ambition of returning to pre 1979 normality and confronting what has not been confronted openly in the past 2 decades, if we exclude King Abdullah. In fact AQAP's uprising in KSA between 2003-2006 was what made the regime wake up, including the clergy. Which a great and frightening recent documentary documents from unique first hand footage.

 

[Sinnerman108]

Whenever I think,

of all the times, blood was wasted in the holy house.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Whenever I think,

of all the times, blood was wasted in the holy house.

Well, Makkah and Madinah have arguably been one of the most if not the most peaceful spots in the Muslim world and world as a whole. I could easily argue that. I am sure that many actual historians could as well. Some 200-300 fanatics from 40 years ago (soon to be) won't change that. Or a few ancient incidents.

And most importantly look at their offspring. In this case the colonel. That individual won't hurt a fly if he is not ordered to do so on a battlefield. I am quite sure of that.