Special to WorldTribune.com

ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia has become a training center for foreign
security forces.

The Interior Ministry has overseen the training of hundreds of Western
and Asian security forces in the state-owned Prince Nayef University for
Security Sciences in Riyad. Officials said the training for officers from
such countries as Austria, Britain, France and Turkey focused on
counter-insurgency.

“The trainees will familiarize themselves with the rules of crisis
management during a terrorist attack, develop their skills in influencing
terrorism through media, as well as recognize the dangers of world
terrorism,” university spokesman Khaled Al Harfash said.

Al Harfash said the training was based on a five-day course for police
officers in NATO and other states. He identified the participants as
Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Romania, Singapore, South
Africa, Sweden and Turkey.

Officials said the course also included the Saudi method of
rehabilitating Al Qaida operatives. They said a year-long rehabilitation
program, called Munasaha, has resulted in the disillusionment of most
Islamist inmates with Al Qaida.

“By sending their counter-terrorism police officers to be trained by
specialized Saudi academic cadres, these countries want in the first place
to acquaint themselves with and adapt the Saudi experience in fighting
terrorism through the Munasaha rehabilitation system devised for
terrorists,” Al Harfash told the Saudi-owned daily A-Sharq Al Awsat.

The university, which also trains Gulf Cooperation Council security
forces, has signed more than 120 cooperation agreements around the world.
Officials said Prince Nayef’s outreach to the West has resulted in
significant interest in how to interrogate and eventually rehabilitate Al
Qaida operatives.

“The training program will deal with terrorism from the perspective of
the Islamic Sharia law,” Al Harfash said.

  Khaled Al Harfash, Munasaha, Prince Nayef University for Security Sciences, Saudis teach rehabilitation of Al Qaida operatives in context of Sharia law