Saudi Arabia's crown prince vows to return to "a more moderate Islam"

Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince on Tuesday vowed to restore 'moderate, open' Islam, breaking with ultra-conservative clerics in favour of an image catering to foreign investors and Saudi youth.

'We are returning to what we were before - a country of moderate Islam that is open to all religions and to the world,' Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said at an economic forum in Riyadh.

'We will not spend the next 30 years of our lives dealing with destructive ideas. We will destroy them today,' the 32-year-old, who was appointed Crown Prince in June, added. 'We will end extremism very soon.' 

Saudi Arabia has recently started to loosen its ultra-conservative rules, including allowing women to drive and hosting a mixed-gender national day. But it has long been blamed for backing terror organisations around the world.