The 1979 Grand Mosque Siege: Uncovering the Roots of Extremism (Part 1)
On 20 November 1979, the Grand Mosque of Makkah was stormed by 300 armed extremists, turning Islam’s holiest site into a fortress and taking thousands of worshippers hostage. The siege shocked Saudi Arabia and the world, becoming a defining moment that reshaped the Kingdom’s approach to extremism and left a lasting impact on religious ideologies.