Saudi Arabia has released 1,500 extremists from its jails after they received intensive psychological and religious counseling.
They were detained on charges of embracing ideologies that brand as infidels any Muslims who do not agree with them.
Those released admitted to espousing “wrong” ideologies and they also expressed regret for wanting to drive out from the kingdom those whom they had previously referred to as infidels, the Saudi Al-Watan reported.
The operation was an initiative of the Saudi Interior Ministry. The program began a few years ago, aiming to redeem extremists from their bad ways.
Committees were set up in 2004 to encourage prisoners to renounce their extremist beliefs. The committees were comprised of spiritual leaders, psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists and Muslim scholars.
An official said counseling had been provided for 3,200 people so far, and had brought about the release of 1,500.
Saudi Arabia, an ally of the United States, has been dealing with Islamic terrorism since 2003. Terrorists with links to Al-Qa’ida have been targeting official institutions, diplomatic and economic interests and foreigners in an attempt to undermine the monarchy and drive out Westerners.