Prince Mohammad Bin-Naif, Saudi Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs and outspoken adviocate of anti-terrorism, was the target of a failed assassination attempt two weeks ago, reports Asharq Al-Awsat. The attack, which took place during the holy month of Ramadan, has sparked discussion among commentators on the nature of violent religious extremism in the Muslim world. The mere fact that it occurred during Ramadan, a time of peace among Muslims, was even more shocking.

This is the first time that a member of the Saudi royal family has been attacked by Al-Qaeda, explains the National. The suicide bombing has shocked many in the ultraconservative Muslim kingdom, where terrorists often justify their actions by claiming their religious principals are not far from “accepted mainstream religious discourse,” continues the article.

The assassination attempt has been described as a response to the recent arrest by Saudi security forces of 44 suspected jihadists with links to Al-Qaeda.

Bin-Naif has historically “shown determination and resolution” in combating terrorism in Saudi Arabia, writes Mshari Al-Zaydi for Asharq Al-Awsat. Bin-Naif has also been a champion of “soft” anti-terrorism methods; sponsoring rehabilitation and therapy programs, encouraging reduced sentences for perpetrators who voluntarily turn themselves into the authorities, facilitating family visits for prisoners, and even personally aiding them financially, says Al-Zaydi.

But many analysts are saying that the attack is a signal that Saudi Arabia must confront the deeper social and cultural ramifications of religious extremism in Arab society.

“Every terrorist was a religious fanatic at some point of his life,” comments Mishari Al-Thaidi, a Saudi expert on Islamic movements and former militant, in Al-Watan.

Al-Zaydi writes that a fundamental justification for extremist behavior lies in undermining the “legitimacy of the state.” He explains that while some consider Saudi Arabia to be immune to domestic terrorist attacks due to its hyper-religious regime, fundamentalists can claim the state has not met their high standards and thus excuse violent acts.

Al-Zaydi believes the “cure” for terrorism in Saudi Arabia is to confront the problem directly rather than avoid discussing the tension between conservatives and violent extremists.

“Discussing these ideologies is...created through a profound humanistic discourse,” Al-Zaydi continues. If society cannot be critical of itself, “then all we need is a young man who has nothing to fear or a mature man who...has nothing to lose” to fuel another suicide attack.

He also points out that domestic extremism in Saudi Arabia is still growing, despite the Saudi security forces crackdown since the September 11 attacks in New York.

Hussein Shobokshi, in another opinion piece for Asharq Al-Awsat, writes that the assassination attempt on Bin-Naif is “a miserable scene that has no connection whatsoever to the glorious history of the Arab world,” which was once famous for producing scientific and medical breakthroughs, along with a rich artistic and literary history.

“The recent Al-Qaeda operation is not a testimony of its creativity...it is evidence of the group’s despair,” he says. “Al-Qaeda and the like have been reared on the same cancerous ideology that must be eradicated.”

Shobokshi writes in a second article for Asharq Al-Awsat that religious extremists are “enemies of the State, the public, the government, and most importantly of all, enemies of religion itself.” He continues to say that the assassination attempt has “raised the stakes” in the war on terror.

“[Bin-Naif’s] survival of this assassination attempt is a signal from God that the fight against terrorism should continue, and that victory is imminent, God willing,” Shobokshi says, using surprisingly religious language.

Al-Ahram also discusses the current religious crisis, with a four-part series on the challenges facing Islamic states and their relationship with the Obama administration. In one article, Abdel-Moeti Bayoumi states that many Muslim countries “lag in development” because Islam is “bogged down in internal schisms and rifts.”

“If the younger generation was brought up to embrace the true teachings of Islam as a way of life, we would not have had any sects,” Bayoumi told Al-Ahram. He continues to say that ignorance “breeds a state of extremism” that is far from the founding principals of Islam.

Mshari Al-Zaydi concurs, writing that the “contemporary terrorism” has only existed for little more than 20 years, germinating in Egypt.

“I do not think that the cure lies in avoiding discussions on the discourse of religious violence…I believe that what is required in Saudi Arabia and in every society is...to discuss the things we disagree on, i.e. extremism, provided that we do not gloat over each others’ defeat.”

“If sedition breaks out, nobody will be spared so let us open up our hearts and minds and reach a consensus for the sake of national unity and stability.”