|
|
June 25, 2004 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
|||||
PRINCE ABDULLAH: WE TELL THIS DEVIANT GROUP AND OTHERS THAT IF THEY DO NOT RETURN TO THE RIGHT PATH, THEY WILL MEET THE SAME FATE OR WORSE. PRINCE NAIF IBN ABDUL AZIZ: WE ALL STAND TOGETHER AGAINST ACTS THAT TARGET THE COUNTRY, ITS SECURITY AND STABILITY. PRINCE SALMAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ: SAUDI ARABIA IS ROOTING OUT TERRORISM AND TERRORISTS. The Interior Ministry confirmed that Al-Qaeda's leader in Saudi Arabia, Abdul Aziz Al-Muqrin, was one of four militants gunned down last Friday night. The security offensive came shortly after Muqrin's "Al-Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula" carried out its threat to execute American Paul M. Johnson and posted gruesome photos of the beheaded victim on websites. The authorities said Friday night's gunbattle in Riyadh also left two gunmen directly involved in the attacks dead and netted 12 suspects. Muqrin's death had been reported by security men, and authorities aired photos of the bloodied corpses of Al-Muqrin and the other dead militants along with the Interior Ministry statement. "Abdul Aziz Ibn Issa Al-Muqrin, who claimed to head the gang that condemns people as infidels" and claimed responsibility "for assassinations and kidnappings" was one of the four gunmen killed, the statement said. The four "were besieged in a gas station in the Al-Malaz district of Riyadh by security forces, and a heavy exchange of fire" ensued around 9 p.m., it said. The Ministry of the Interior identified another of the dead gunmen as Faisal Al-Dakheel, who figured on the most-wanted list and appeared in footage showing the killing of an American resident an apparent reference to a video of the killing of Robert Jacobs. The third was named as Turki Al-Mutairi, one of three gunmen who escaped after the shooting and hostage-taking rampage in Al-Khobar last month. The fourth was Ibrahim Al-Draihem, suspected of helping plan the bombing of a residential compound in Riyadh last November. Al-Muqrin and Al-Dakheel were at the top of the 26-strong list of most wanted militants issued last December. "He went to his fate," Al-Riyadh newspaper quoted Al-Muqrin's father as saying. The ministry said a security man was also killed in the clash and two were wounded. Twelve suspected terrorists were arrested, but their names would not be divulged "in the interest of the investigation," the Ministry said. But a security source said one of them was a senior terrorist suspected of involvement in the 2000 bombing of the US warship Cole in Yemen. "This man is considered one of the aides to Al-Muqrin," the source said. The Interior Ministry statement said security forces also seized three cars, one of which was used in the June 6 shooting attack on a BBC crew in Riyadh that left cameraman Simon Cumbers dead and correspondent Frank Gardner critically wounded. They also seized a range of weapons and explosives, in addition to SR132,800 and another $2,900. The man considered the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Kingdom had been a gun for hire around the world since his teens. Abdul Aziz Al-Muqrin, 31, was believed to be the leader of the group calling itself variously "Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula" or the "Fallujah Brigade" that claimed responsibility for beheading Paul M. Johnson. Al-Muqrin's fighters are blamed for a recent string of terror strikes in the Kingdom, among them the May 29 shooting and hostage-taking in Al-Khobar that killed 22 people, most of them foreigners, and the Nov. 8, 2003, suicide bombing at Riyadh housing compounds that killed 17, mostly non-Saudi Muslims working in the Kingdom. Al-Muqrin dropped out of high school in the late 1980s and fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan after training with Osama Bin Laden. He later fought in Bosnia and in Algeria, where he was involved in weapons smuggling from Spain via Morocco. Subsequently, Muqrin went to Somalia where he organized tribal fights against Ethiopia. He also fought in Bosnia Herzegovina with a group of Saudi youth. Security sources say he was arrested in 1999 for illegally crossing the border into Yemen and was sent home, where he spent two years in prison before being released for good behavior. Al-Muqrin took over Al-Qaeda operations in the Kingdom after his predecessor Khaled Ali Al-Haj was killed by security agents earlier this year, but he had masterminded attacks before that. Al-Haj, a Yemeni, had succeeded Yousef Al-Airi, who was killed in a clash with security forces in early 2003. The Ministry of Interior had issued the following statement: "In clarification of a statement issued last Friday evening with regard to surrounding of a group of pervasive (elements) on this earth who belong to a deviant group, an official source at the Ministry of Interior said last Saturday that the concerned security bodies which were engaged in the follow-up of the crimes of killings and kidnappings of some of the residents in Riyadh during the past weeks, have been spotted; four of them had the direct link to the incidents around 9 o'clock Friday evening at a patrol station in Al-Malaz (area). "The security forces immediately surrounded them during which an exchange of fire took place, resulting in the killing of the four." The source identified the four killed as follows: 1- Abdul Aziz Ibn Isa Al-Miqren who claimed to be head of a gang charged with infidelity and bombings. A number of statements of assassination and kidnapping were issued by him. 2- Faisal Ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Dakheel, a turpitude from the right path and sought by security bodies for committing crimes of killings. One of his picture showed him standing behind a fat person in a tape released by them on the killing of an American resident. 3- Turki Ibn Fehaid Al-Mutairi, an escaper from Wahat Abdul Aziz complex in Al-Khobar after the sinful attacks. He was sought by the security bodies for committing other crimes. 4- Ibrahim Ibn Abdullah Al-Duraihem who was sought by security bodies for his participation in preparation for the attack on Al-Mohaya complex during the Holy Month of Ramadan as well as other crimes. A security man was martyred and two others were wounded. One of the injured left the hospital. The sources listed the following items which have been discovered from the spot: 1- Three cars; one of which was used in an attack on an Irish journalist and his British colleague. 2- A number of weapons which included guns and sub-machine guns and different types of ammunitions and stocks. 3- Three 'RBG' launchers. 4- 16 pipe-bombs' explosives. 5- 10 grenades of high explosive intensity. 6- SR 132, 800 and $2, 900. 7- A number of different IDs and documents. 8- A large number of PC's CDs. The source also added that the security bodies captured 12 persons who are suspected to have links with these incidents, noting that the interest of the investigation required not to announce their identities. An official source said here on Friday evening that the security follow up in the case of the kidnapping of the American, Paul Marshal has resulted in locating a group of deviants in Al-Malaz (area) in Riyadh city and that the security forces are still surrounding the site. "There will be another statement to clarify developments and details (in this context)," he said. On the other hand Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard said there would be no letup in the campaign to uproot terrorism. Security officers backed by armored vehicles and helicopters closed off three neighborhoods in the capital in a pre-dawn offensive to recover the body of Paul M. Johnson and to catch more Al-Qaeda sympathizers. Helicopters hovered over several districts and a few suburbs of the capital, eyewitnesses said. The areas searched included Al-Malaz district, the site of a gunbattle last Friday that ended with the death of Abdul Aziz Al-Muqrin, the mastermind of Paul Johnson kidnapping, and three other members of his cell. Dozens of officers searched houses in different parts of the city and officers checked the cars of anyone attempting to leave the sealed-off areas. Security agents were looking for Johnson's body on the northern outskirts of the capital, a security officer said. Following a tip-off, officers surrounded a house in Al-Malaz near Prince Faisal Ibn Fahd Stadium, where they had been told terror suspects were hiding. No arrests were made. The Crown Prince warned sympathizers to relent or face being killed too. "We tell this deviant group and others that if they do not return to the right path, they will meet the same fate or worse," he told an audience in Jeddah. In remarks carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the Crown Prince said security forces would deal with the terrorists as well as with every aggressor in the Kingdom or abroad. He renewed his call for people to report any suspect person to security authorities. Crown Prince Abdullah said the terrorists followed "the way of Satan", and the enemies of religion and of Saudi Arabia were behind them. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, had received princes, ministers, senior officials and a group of citizens who came to greet him. The Crown Prince also received delegations from Jouf Region led by Sheikh Mohammed Ibn Manoukh Ibn Duaija; Najran Region led by Mohammed Ibn Hamad Hussain Al-Qahas Al Hatilah; Taif Governorate led by Dr. Jameel Ibn Habib Al-Luwaihiq and Fadaan Tribe from Anzah led by Iyadh Ibn Fayyadh Al-Anzi. In their speeches, the leaders strongly condemned the terrorist acts that recently took place in the kingdom by the deviating group and expressed their full support for the government and they denounced the killing of innocents, the intimidation of the secure people, destabilization of security and the damaging of properties. They stressed their stand by, support for and loyalty to the government to fight the deviant group that has perpetrated these acts. In his remarks, the Crown Prince thanked them for their stand against the deviating group and their support for the government, noting that they and their ancestors are loyal to the religion and their country. He called for reporting any abnormal person to security authorities, stressing that security will be imposed on everyone and any aggressor inside and abroad. The Crown Prince noted that killers of the deviating group have been killed, callin on individuals of this group to come back to their senses, otherwise they will be uprooted. The Crown Prince pointed out that the individuals of this group have followed the Satanic way and added that enemies of religion and the country are behind them The receptions were attended by a number of princes. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, made a telephone call to US President George W. Bush. During the conversation, the Crown Prince expressed condolences on the killing of Paul Marshal Johnson. President Bush praised the steps that had been undertaken by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to combat terrorism and the efforts of its security men in confronting this group of deviant people and abort their works. The President also expressed thanks to the Kingdoms' government and people for their efforts in eliminating terrorism. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received a telephone call from Bahrain's King Hamad Ibn Isa Al-Khalifa. During the conversation, King Hamad was reassured about Prince Sultan's health, wishing him a quick recovery. The Bahraini King also condemned the criminal acts perpetrated by the deviant group. Prince Sultan expressed his thanks to King Hamad for his brotherly noble feelings towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister, received heads and members of tribes. Al-Boqoum tribe was led by Mohammed Ibn Mishra'a Al-Boqoumi, and Mutair tribe by Saad Bin M'naja Abu-Khushaim. They condemned the criminal acts that took place in the Kingdom recently and announced their full loyalty to the country and its leadership. During the reception, a number of speeches were delivered. On his part, Prince Naif thanked them all for their noble feelings, stressing that all citizens are united against these acts that target the nation, its security and stability. Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz echoed the Crown Prince in remarks to tribal leaders and dignitaries from various parts of the Kingdom who met him to express their support to the government's effort to crack down on terrorists. "These people have followed the devil and found some people who misled them on this course. They don't realize that they are being driven by the enemies of religion and the enemies of this nation," Prince Naif said. "We will emerge triumphant, God willing, and our trust in Almighty Allah and in the people of this country is boundless," he added. Prince Naif also received members of they condemned the criminal acts that took place in the Kingdom and announced their full loyalty to the country and its leadership. On his part, Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz thanked them for their feelings, stressing that all are united against these acts that target the nation, its security and stability. "The state is strong in overcoming these malicious designs and cleaning the country from the mis-guided members of this deviant group. We have full and complete confidence in accomplishing this mission," he added. On the other hand in an exclusive interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz said the plight of the Palestinians is the main cause of misunderstandings between Saudi Arabia and Western governments. "Our problem with the West is perhaps the Palestinian cause. The suffering of the Palestinians is great. And we do not forget that the third mosque of Islam is in Jerusalem," he said in an interview published in the French daily Le Figaro. Prince Naif demanded fair implementation of United Nations resolutions on the Middle East. "Everyone can see the injustice: it is a Palestinian child against an F-16 fighter plane. That is our problem with the West," he said. He denied the Saudi government funded extremist Islamic clerics living in the West. "Saudi Arabia does not condone extremism and does not take part in it. It is true that we support people who seem to us to be good Muslims. But they are not extremists," the minister said. He said the government would continue to use force to fight terrorism in the Kingdom, but urged intellectuals to use their power to influence young Saudis who have gone astray. "Young Saudis who commit these crimes are influenced by bad ideas. Intellectuals must explain to them what is true and what is false," he said. The prince said the Interior Ministry was using all means at its disposal to fight terrorist actions in the Kingdom and Saudi Arabia did not need outside assistance in a domestic situation. ''But we want other countries to help us outside the Kingdom. We want to work jointly with them. We need help in the area of intelligence, especially from the most powerful countries (operating) in Afghanistan and in Iraq.'' He said the Kingdom was waiting for information from those countries and asked why the United States, for example, was not arresting known Al-Qaeda operatives in Iraq. ''It is said that Al-Zarqawi, one of the Al-Qaeda leaders, is in Iraq. The United States has the opportunity to arrest him. Why don't they do it?'' he asked. The US 9/11 Commission has cleared Saudi Arabia of any involvement in the 2001 attacks. Prince Naif slammed suggestions the Kingdom's education system was the root cause behind the involvement of so many Saudis in terror operations. ''It is a big mistake to say that the cause of terrorism can be found in the education system. This is a false idea spread by certain intellectuals and journalists. How many terrorists are there, 1,000, 2,000 at the most? Yet the entire population studied in our schools and that did not make a nation of terrorists,'' he said. The minister said he believed Al-Qaeda was not alone in carrying out terrorist acts in the region, but that the organization led by Osama Bin Laden claimed all the operations. ''There are people who are ready to do anything. These terrorists are all over the Middle East and in other countries like Pakistan.'' He also rejected accusations that Saudi-based charities were financing terrorism. ''It is a very small percentage. The perpetrators of terrorist acts were trained outside the Kingdom. Even their ideology, their mentality, they acquired abroad," he said. On the closure of charities like Al-Haramain, Prince Naif insisted it was non-Saudis who failed to respect the true aims of non-governmental organizations abroad. It was a small number of Saudis who failed to live up to their commitment to do good through such charities and "give everything to these foreign employees," he added. Following is the interview: Q: Is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia living the most serious crisis of its history? A: The kingdom faced problems in the past. But the difference, today, is that those who commit these acts, act in the name of Islam and unfortunately, they use Saudi young people. Q: What do you do to stop the terrorists? A: Everything the society asks us to do. We will continue to use force. But we believe that the intellectuals must also play a role. Saudi young people who commit these crimes are influenced by harmful ideas. The Intellectuals must explain to them what is true and what is false. Q: Do you really have the means to fight the terrorist threat? The Ministry of the Interior uses all means. We do not need assistance inside Saudi Arabia. But we also wish that other countries help us outside the kingdom. We want to work in common with them. We require that they helps us in the field of information, especially the most powerful countries, those which are in Afghanistan and Iraq. Currently, we await this information. Q: How could the United States, since it is mainly them, better help you? A: It is said that Al-Zarqawi, one of the heads of Al-Qaida, is in Iraq. The United States has the possibility of stopping him. Why don't they do that? Q: The authors of the recent terrorist acts are Saudi young people. The men figuring on the list of the 26 most required people are a Saudi majority. Just like the majority of the terrorists of September 11. Shouldn't one seek the origin of these acts inside the Saudi system, the education system in particular? A: It is a great error to say that the causes of terrorism are coming from inside the system. It is a false idea propagated by certain intellectuals and certain journalists. I would like to clarify the opinion. How many are the terrorists? One thousand, two thousand at most. However, the entire people studied in our schools and that does not make people terrorists. Myself and my adviser, who is here, and the interpreters who are with us, everyone in this room studied in our system. Thus if this reasoning was true everyone of us must be terrorist. Q: Who are really those who present themselves as the Al-Qaida branch in Saudi Arabia? Do they directly receive their orders from Ben Laden? A: Al-Qaida is not the only one responsible. There are people who are ready for everything. These terrorists are everywhere in the Middle East and also in other countries like Pakistan. Al-Qaida asserts all these acts as being their's, with the assistance of certain media. Q: According to the Saudi press, a Libyan colonel was detained in the kingdom and is currently in your prisons, shown to have fermented a plot to assassinate Crown Prince Abdullah. Is there really a plot? A: We know the truth about this business. We will announce it at the moment which will be suitable to us. We will not let the media dictate the date to us. Q: The United States, on their side, accuse Saudi charities foundations of subsidizing extremist preachers abroad. A: It is a very small percentage. The perpetrators of the terrorist acts were trained outside the kingdom. Even their ideology, their mentality, they acquired them from abroad. This mentality comes from the outside of the kingdom, but unfortunately, it affected young Saudi people. Q: But the kingdom itself recognized that a Saudi charitable foundation represent a danger. You closed the offices of Al-Haramain foundation... A: This institution has branches abroad. It is probable that if the charitable goals of the organization were not respected, it is because of non-Saudi members of this organization abroad. Saudis who work in this organization, why did they leave everything to do to the others? They should have made the good and they made the evil. But it is a minority. Q: Saudi Arabia is regularly accused of subsidizing extremists preachers in West... A: Saudi Arabia does not accept extremism and does not take part in it. I do not want people to believe that. It is true that we support people who appear to us to be good Moslems. But they are not extremists. It is a problem which we have with the West. There are extremists who lived in France, in Europe, in the United States, well before September 11, and the Westerners wonder from where the money comes. I ask those who launch these accusations to provide us with the evidence so that we can do our work. You know that there are several charitable organizations in the United States and in Europe, to which many people give money, to build mosques, schools, in short to make the good. All Saudis like to do the good and they their pay Zakat, (the alms recommended by Islam). Sometimes even, they help of non-Moslems. But it is an untraceable thing to find Saudis who help terrorism. We, we seek peace, co-operation and stability, quite simply because we are a stable country. We will co-operate with the West Occident in all ways. Q: According to you where does the misunderstanding lies? A: Our problem with the West, is perhaps the Palestinian cause. The misery of the Palestinians is great. And let us not forget that the third Holy Mosque of Islam is in Jerusalem. It is not right not to apply the UN resolutions. Everyone can see the injustice. It is a Palestinian child vis-a-vis an F 16 fighter. This is our problem with the West. Q: What did really happened in Al-Khobar on May 30? The Saudi press was astonished by the facility with which three terrorists, who killed 22 people, escaped before the attack from the Saudi forces... A: Initially, one of the targets of these terrorists was a vast complex residential including 80 villas, an hotel and various buildings. It sheltered hundreds of people, amongst whom women and children. Our goal, was to save the life of people. Perhaps terrorists found the means of fleeing, but we stopped their head, who was wounded. They had grenades. There could have been hundreds of victims. In a diversion of plane, we ask which was the main target, to stop the authors or to save the hostages. We could have destroyed this residential complex. But the main target, was to save the people. If we had attacked in force, there would have been many deaths on the both sides. I put the question: what do you prefer? Victims in great number or the prospect of stopping the perpetrators later? We chose to save lives. But that does not mean that we do not want to stop the terrorists. And I am sure that our services will find them. Q: You asked that the population and the foreigners help you by denouncing the terrorists. Did many volunteered? A: I do not believe that there is only one Saudi who does not inform the security services. Some, however, are favorable to the ideas of the terrorists and perhaps that these people-there help them. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said that those who line up with the terrorists are worse than them. But it is about a small minority. Q: Politically, it is said that you represent the conservative wing of the government. They present you as opposing the reforms desired by Crown Prince Abdullah on the political field and the society. A: I know these assertions. I already answered then. I am a civil servant at the service of the Crown Prince, thus I cannot be against him. I am a soldier who acts according to directions' of his leader. Such oppositions are impossible in the royal family. Meanwhile Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh Region, performed at Imam Turki Mosque funeral prayers for staff sergeant Mohammed Ibn Ali Al-Qahtani who was martyred following security forces siege of a number of evildoers in Riyadh last Friday. Prince Salman was accompanied by Prince Sattam Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Vice Governor of Riyadh Region; Prince Mohammed Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, senior officials and a group of citizens and residents. Prince Salman also visited at Riyadh Security Forces Hospital two security men who were injured during the siege. He was reassured about their health, medical services and treatment provided to them, wishing them a quick recovery. In press statements, Prince Salman considered the killing of a number of evil doers as an important security achievement on the way to eradicating this wicked and deviating group that wreaks havoc on the earth. Prince Salman noted that the Kingdom is based on the Holy Quran and Sunnah. He called on citizens to exert more efforts in cooperation with security men, stressing that all citizens are united in confronting anyone who tries to harm this country. On the other hand Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Governor of Assir region has conveyed the condolences of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard and Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General to the family o fthe martyr Mohammed Ibn Ali Al Maeed Al Qahtani who was killed while the security forces surrounded the deviant group. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal said the martyr has died while doing his duty and stressed the pride of the leadership and all citizens about the martyrs devotion to his country and his responsibility to defend it against this deviant terrorist group. From his side Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Tabuk Region, praised the proficiency and ability of security men in eliminating a number of evil doers of the deviating group in Riyadh last Friday evening. In a press statement, he praised Almighty Allah for this security achievement, stressing that security men are strongly capable to defend the country, its citizens and residents. The Prince noted that the perpetrators of this deviating group were killed in the same city and streets where they want to wreak havoc. In Washington, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said terrorists would earn a victory if American workers leave Saudi Arabia in response to the terrorist attacks. Powell said he was hopeful that Americans will remain in the Kingdom as a result of increased personal safety measures they take on their own as well as heightened protection from their employers and from the Saudi government. "If they leave, then the terrorists have won," Powell said, only hours after Johnson's beheading. "I don't think either the Saudis, the Americans, or these brave folks who work in Saudi Arabia want the terrorists to win," he said. James Oberwetter, the US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told reporters the cooperation between the US and the Kingdom in efforts to find Johnson was "excellent". He also praised the efforts of Saudi security forces to hunt for terrorists. "A great deal was accomplished last evening. We also believe that much remains to be done," Oberwetter said. "The Saudis are doing an excellent job of working on their most wanted list and working people off that list but not everyone who is a threat has been removed from the list and maybe there are many more." He also warned that the situation for Westerners in the Kingdom remains dangerous. "The US State Department has issued warnings and repeated those warnings, including yesterday, concerning the nature of the threat here," he said "It will be some time before we achieve a comfortable level and the situation returns to normal," he said. "We look forward to that day but it is some time away," he added. Adel Al-Jubeir, adviser to Crown Prince Abdullah, said in Washington that the killing of Muqrin and his associates had "substantially weakened" Al-Qaeda. Speaking at a news conference at the Saudi Embassy, Jubeir told America "our people are outraged" by the violent acts of Al-Qaeda. Jubeir said reports that Johnson's body had been found were incorrect. "The body has not yet been recovered. There was confusion about this issue. The determination that Mr. Johnson was murdered was made on the basis of technical analysis of the tape (of the beheading) by both US and Saudi experts. We do not yet know at what time Mr. Johnson was murdered," he said. "We are searching for the body," which is thought to be in the northern outskirts of Riyadh, he added. Meanwhile, British Ambassador Sherard Cowper-Coles said the UK was not ordering its citizens to leave the country but "advice was being posted and updated on the Internet." The Ambassador pledged the British government, the British Embassy in Riyadh and the British people "stand together with the Saudi government and their people" in the fight against terrorism. "This act of terrorism has strengthened our relationship and our efforts to combat terrorism," he said. |
|||||
