Eight years after it was launched by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz in the presence of US President Donald Trump and leaders from 55 nations, the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology, known as Etidal, continues to spearhead efforts to counter radical ideologies from its headquarters in Riyadh.
Established on May 21, 2017, the center has played a central role in confronting extremist thought and disrupting terrorist networks operating online.
Over the past eight years, Etidal has rolled out a series of initiatives aimed at curbing the spread of radical content, blocking millions of extremist materials, suspicious links, and toxic ideologies from reaching the public.
Its work has extended beyond Saudi Arabia, sharing expertise with more than 78 countries.
The center regularly hosts delegations from governments and international organizations dedicated to counter-extremism, offering a first-hand look at its operations and strategies to stem the tide of radicalization.
Moreover, Etidal is intensifying efforts to monitor the incitement activities of terrorist groups, particularly those operating in dormant phases through sleeper cells and lone-wolf tactics designed to keep extremism alive on the ground.
While remaining largely underground in physical form, these groups sustain an aggressive presence online, exploiting social media platforms to fuel their propaganda machines and spread radical messaging.
Etidal says extremist narratives often begin by undermining critical thinking seen as a gateway to recruitment.
Extremist groups tend to deploy coded, duplicitous language to draw in followers and sympathizers, tapping into emotional and culturally sensitive issues. Beneath these seemingly empathetic narratives lie concealed traps meant to lure individuals into deeper ideological commitment and eventual alignment with radical agendas.
According to the center, terrorist organizations are increasingly relying on sophisticated cyber tools to mask their identities and evade law enforcement, while targeting Arab societies with divisive and extremist content.
Etidal said extremist content surged on a major social media platform in the first quarter of 2025, as terrorist groups stepped up efforts to spread radical messages online.
In a statement issued this month, the Riyadh-based center reported that its monitoring teams successfully removed more than 16 million extremist materials and over 1.2 million deceptive web links aimed at evading detection and redirecting users to alternative radical content.
In addition, Etidal said it had shut down 1,408 extremist channels in the first three months of the year, underscoring the center’s ongoing commitment to countering the persistent attempts by terrorist organizations to push their toxic ideologies into public discourse.
