“While this report notes that the Saudis have made some limited progress towards undercutting extremist financing, a large and dangerous void remains in their overall strategy and implementation. 

“I remain deeply concerned that Saudi individuals and charitable organizations continue to support violent Islamist extremism outside of Saudi Arabia.  Often times, our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are being targeted by extremists backed with money originating in the Persian Gulf. 

“This report also proves that an incomplete plan for the release of Guantanamo detainees is having disastrous consequences for U.S. security interests.  According to the report, Saudi officials told the GAO that there is a high rate of recidivism among former Guantanamo detainees who have gone through the Saudi ‘rehabilitation’ program versus others who have been processed through the same Saudi program.

“It is vital that the U.S. demand more from the Saudi government in cutting off the money flow to the Islamist extremist network.  The Saudis and other regional governments must take additional concrete, verifiable steps to deny the use of their territory, their organizations, and their citizenry as resources to support violent Islamist extremists who seek to do us harm.”

Note:  According to the report (GAO-09-883), U.S. and Saudi officials report some progress in countering terrorism and its financing within Saudi Arabia, however, “U.S. officials remain concerned about the ability of Saudi individuals and charitable organizations to support terrorists outside of Saudi Arabia, and noted limited Saudi enforcement capacity and terrorists’ use of cash couriers as challenges.” GAO also recommended that some performance targets which were removed from the State Department’s current mission strategic plan be reinstated.  The report also noted that high rates of recidivism exist among former Guantanamo detainees that passed through the Saudi rehabilitation programs.

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