This week, Mr Hawali himself denied that the Riyadh bombing could be considered jihad.

ECONOMIST: Saudi Arabia

Mr Hawali and other Saudi radicals think the government should use them as a conduit to open a dialogue with the rebels.

ECONOMIST: Saudi Arabia

Earlier this year, for example, Safar al-Hawali, a popular preacher once imprisoned for his combative views, launched a group called the World Campaign to Fight Aggression.

ECONOMIST: Saudi Arabia