“The statement of the Interior Ministry is proof of the success of the Saudi media in uncovering the fallacy of the deviant thought. Although the first target of militants was Assistant Interior Minister for Security Affairs Prince Muhammad bin Naif, they also targeted media men after it became clear to them that journalists are as opposed to them as the security men. It is because the brave Saudi media has been letting people know the true nature of those who seek sedition in society,” Editor in Chief of Jeddah-based Okaz Arabic daily Muhammad Al-Tunisi told Arab News.

Chief of the Middle East Center for Legal and Strategic Studies Anwar Ashqi, said: “The ministry’s statement on Friday has disclosed the direction taken by Al-Qaeda in Yemen by turning to assassinations instead of targeting installations.” 

It also shows the failure of the militants to avoid being described as the murderers of civilians, he added. “The ministry’s statement makes it abundantly clear that Al-Qaeda has now realized the strategic role undertaken by the media in defeating the terror plots in addition to disclosing their true image in front of the public. In fact the media should not just continue playing this role but also expand it further until the terror has been uprooted from our midst,” he said.

Chief Editor of the Shams daily newspaper Khaled Darraj said the success of the security forces in defeating the evil designs of the militants is also the end result of the tireless efforts made by the media in the Kingdom.

“While the statement of the ministry affirms the right course taken by the Saudi security forces it also proves that evils such as extremism and terror can never be tackled by security forces alone but civil, government and media establishments should cooperate with the security,” he said.