16 The Siege of the Grand Mosque

In 1979 a group of religious extremists seized the Grand Mosque in Mecca and began a siege that would last over two weeks. The bloody event shook the Muslim world, and prompted reactions in Saudi Arabia that affect that country to this day. Related Links: This issue of Al Majalla, an English language Arabian magazing, has extensive coverage of the siege. Yaroslav Trofimov, author of of The Siege of Mecca, speaking about the event to NPR. Read unclassified US State Department memos about the siege here and here. Footage of the siege on YouTube.