Saudi Arabia and Europe: Demystifying the Threat

This chapter unpacks the complex dynamics, hidden assumptions and pitfalls to the popular “Saudi funding extremism in Europe” narrative. Using the UK as a specific case study, the chapter examines the impact of Saudi state and non-state actors focusing on Saudi-funded mosques, preachers and literature. This chapter argues that although there is no question that Saudi Arabia has spent considerable amount of money and resources and has influenced Islam in the British context, this influence was always mediated by the local context, local politics and the challenges and needs of British Muslims. In short, the UK was not, and still is not, a passive recipient of Saudi-style Salafism. Local realities, people and events play a key role in shaping, moulding, adapting and even rejecting elements. Radical violent strands were marginalized by the community and extremist preachers never became mainstream.