July 16, 2004

PRINCE ABDULLAH, PRINCE NAIF AND PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL MEET WITH THE MUSLIM WORLD DELEGATION. PRINCE SULTAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ DONATES SR ONE MILLION TO THE FUND FOR SECURITY MEN VICTIMS OF TERRORISM. PRINCE NAIF IBN ABDUL AZIZ: THE UNITY BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE SAUDI SOCIETY IS A STRONG ARM AGAINST DEVIANTS. PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL: ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF TOLERANCE AND MODERATION IT DOES NOT JUSTIFY TERRORISM. ABI SULAIMAN AL-MAKKI, WANTED BY SECURITY AUTHORITIES, SURRENDERS TO THE SAUDI AUTHORITIES IN TEHRAN. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received at Al-Salam Palace the Muslim World delegation led by Dr. Abdullah Ibn Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki, the Secretary General of Muslim World League to consult on the issues of the Muslim nation. The delegation formed by the League's Constitutional Council included the Chairman of Board of Trustees of Islamic Call in the Sudan Marshal Abdul Rahman Siwar Al-Zahab; Secretary General of Cairo-based Muslim World Council for Call and Relief Kamal Ismail Al-Shareef; Lebanon's Mufti Dr. Mohammed Rasheed Qabbani; and Jordan's Minister of Endowments and Islamic Sanctities Affairs Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Hilayyil. The audience was attended by Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, had earlier received the delegation of the Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL) led by Dr Abdullah Al-Turki, the League's Secretary General. Prince Saud highlighted the role of the delegation in tackling challenges facing the Muslim world. Prince Saud Al-Faisal praised the role of the Muslim delegation in unifying Muslim efforts on both the official and popular levels. He stressed the importance of joint work to deal with new problems of the new Khawarej and extremist thoughts amongst Muslims. Prince Saud Al-Faisal said Islam is a religion of tolerance and justice that has nothing to do with deviant thoughts. Thus there is no justification for these thoughts and the problem is not the religion but the behaviour of some Muslims. The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that Muslim organizations and social institutions must take care of Muslim problems in Muslim societies, and provide the solutions. Prince Saud added that the directives of the Crown Prince with regards to the fourth national forum is to concentrate on the importance of the care provided to youth and solving their problems according to the known rules and traditions. Prince Saud Al-Faisal expressed his hopes that the delegation would implement cultural programmes concerning the problems facing the youth . On the other hand Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General has donated SR One million to the fund established for security men who suffered from the latest terrorist incidents, which was established after a call from Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, the Governor of Assir province. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal made a call for the support of security men who were victims of terrorist attacks and their families. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal also wrote an article in which he said : I have a lively sense of the honor of being a Muslim and being led by the king, and I am particularly honored to serve Asir, a region that I fell in love with at first sight. Some may think that this emotional connection between Asir and me stems from its breathtaking nature and climate. But the truth is that my love is above all for the region's people their honor, their creativity, and their distinctive love of life. These people are famous for their originality no less than their courage and generosity they are blessed with a beautiful spirit. Their hospitality, their broad smiles, their poetry and native dances for all occasions bespeak a race of people dedicated to the joy of life. When I used to drive my car along the dirt roads in the Asir mountains, I was many times stopped in my tracks by the breathtaking scenery. But equally I was moved by seeing the Asiri families man, woman, and child working as one in the fields. Family relations here are based on safety, integrity and nobility. Their clothes were colorful, white, red and green amid the wheat and golden barley. Asiris are full of fun and optimism even when they come to me at the municipality to complain or demand new projects. And always, they begin the discussion with beautiful tales tales about fathers and grandfathers who took part in the struggles of King Abdul Aziz to establish this structure and build this state. They are proud of the past and hopeful about the future. When they ask for a new project, they ask in a spirit of optimism, not to reproach because it isn't there. They make you feel a sense of partnership in building the future, rather than pushing you away with accusations about the shortcomings of the present. What happened to them? How did their brightness leave them? Who made the smiles disappear from their faces and drew curtains of misery across them? Who scared the children away from laughter, play and joy? Who scared the adults from life? Who killed happiness and spread sorrow? Who convinced our sons and daughters to call their fathers and mothers infidel? Who teaches children in orphanages that Saudi Arabia is not their home, that their only home is Islam? That their future vocation is jihad? That watching Saudi television or listening to music is forbidden? Who transformed schools and universities into military camps? Who transformed our summer camps into weapon training grounds? Who convinced Saudi youth that the surest path to Heaven is to blow themselves up and take citizens, foreign residents and security officers with them? Who did this to us? I think we all know who is responsible for all this. A look at the books, pamphlets and tapes that have been distributed by the thousands in the schools, universities, mosques and charities over the past 20 years, we will see their names clearly legible in black and white. The websites reveal the rest. The important question now is: Who can change this new painful reality? Who can return to us the minds of our sons and daughters that these demagogues have stolen? The answer is that all of society is responsible, from the state and our senior-most scholars to every individual citizen, but above all teachers and academics, imams and khateebs and Islamic missionaries. To all of them, in the name of every decent citizen who loves his home and religion I say: Please, please give back the smile, the brightness, the life to our sons and daughters and our home. Thank you. Donations have poured on the Fund as Prince Faisal Ibn Khalid Al-Faisal donated SR half a million and businessmen gave SR 2,8 million to the Fund for Security men victims of terrorist incidents. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal said after a meeting with a group of businessmen from Asir region led by the honourary chairman of Abha Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abdullah Ibn Said Abou Malha that he hopes that not only businessmen will participate in the Fund but all citizens will play their part, and all businessmen in the Kingdom will be part of this generous project. On the other hand Prince Khalid Al-Faisal received at his office the undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport Engineer Abdullah Al Moqbel. They discussed the projects being implemented in the region and future projects. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior, received at his office a delegation of Weld Sulaiman Tribe from Anzah led by Sheikh Salih Al-Amaat Al-A'waji. In their speech, 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 which target the nation, its security and stability. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior, received at his office the Muslim World delegation led by Dr. Abdullah Ibn Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki, the Secretary General of Muslim World League to consult on the issues of the Muslim nation. The delegation formed by the League's Constitutional Council included the Sudan's Former President and the Chairman of Board of Trustees of Islamic Call in the Sudan Marshal Abdul Rahman Siwar Al-Zahab; Secretary General of Cairo-based Muslim World Council for Call and Relief Kamal Ismail Al-Shareef; Lebanon's Mufti Dr. Mohammed Rasheed Qabbani; and Jordan's Minister of Endowments and Islamic Sanctities Affairs Dr. Ahmed Ibn Mohammed Hilayyil. The delegation praised the Kingdom for the efforts exerted to serve the two holy mosques; to tackle the challenges facing the Muslim nation and the deviating thought; and to hunt down fugitives of terrorists. On his part, Prince Naif stressed that Islam is a religion of tolerance, justice and human rights and has nothing to do with the deviating thought, noting that Ulema's utmost priority is to tackle this deviation. ''The Kingdom is the country of the Islamic message. Any conspiracy against it by sedition instigators who seek to recruit Muslim youths will only serve Zionism,' Prince Naif said. Dr Al-Turki in a speech talked about the Muslim World League and said we must adhere to the teachings of Islam, follow the Prophet's (Peace Be On Him) traditions and draw lessons from him for compassion and solidarity and co-operation among all Muslims. Dr. Al-Turki called for unity of ranks and mutual co- operation among Muslims as a means of preserving their Islamic identity and asked Muslims to be united and steadfast in facing new challenges. Dr. Al-Turki called on people to obey the commands of Almighty Allah and His Prophet, Muhammad, (Peace Be On Him), and apply Shari'ah (Islamic laws) in all spheres of life, and be on guard against selfishness and wrong ideas. Dr. Al-Turki said: "Muslims, everywhere and at all times, should emulate the example set by the Prophet (Peace Be On Him) and learn from his life history and his Hijrah," for they teach us patience, wisdom, mutual co- operation, solidarity and compassion." He emphasized that the Shari'ah is valid in all places and at all times. "The Shari'ah and the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be On Him) should be studied by every Muslim and they should be passed on to the new generations so that the future Muslim societies would be established on firm footings of the Islamic injunctions of obedience to Allah and His Prophet (Peace Be On Him) and on the basis of mutual co-operation and amity among themselves. "Our noble ancestors have benefited from the valuable lesson derived from the Prophet's (Peace Be On Him) life history, and the fact that Muslims can attain glory, only when they remain obedient to Allah and adhere to Islamic Shari'ah in all aspects of their lives, have been proven over the ages. By adhering to Shari'ah, Muslims can offer a noble and humane service to the world by helping it out of their ideological and moral blunders. They (Muslims) can also help solve other problems and crises such as violence, wars, poverty, abuse of the environment and human rights," Dr. Al-Turki said. Islam is a universal religion that has been sent down by Allah for all people. The Muslims' belief in the universality of their faith and believe that its application in all aspects of life provides them immunity against new challenges being faced by the world. Islam is a religion of moderation and teaches fairness and justice in all matters of life, and prohibits extremism and all forms of extremism as well as slackness and indifference, Dr. Al-Turki said. From his side the Deputy Governor of Asir region Prince Faisal Ibn Khalid Al-Faisal, Governor of Assir region called on the citizens to accord importance to education. In his speech at the conclusion of the programme for caring for the gifted at the governorate in Abha Prince Faisal Ibn Khalid Al-Faisal pointed out that achieving development could not be done without the sons of the Saudi nation and the sons of the Arab nation, thus to build the future, education is imperative. The Prince talked about the latest acts of terrorism in Assir and said only few days remain from the amnesty period the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has accorded to the deviant group and stressed his hopes that the meeting would achieve its targets. On the other hand an official source at the Ministry of Interior stated that Saudi Militant Khalid Ibn Odeh Ibn Mohammed Al-Harbi known as Abi Sulaiman Al-Makki, wanted by security authorities, has surrendered to authorities in response to the pardon granted by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to individuals of the deviating group. The source pointed out that the militant who was on the Iranian-Afghan borders contacted the Saudi embassy in Iran, expressing his desire for making use of the royal pardon. Since the militant has had no identity documents, the Saudi embassy prepared the required documents for him and his family. They were air-transported to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in coordination with the Iranian concerned authorities, the source added. It noted that the disabled militant will be immediately admitted to a hospital to be provided with a medical care. The disabled Saudi terror suspect has handed himself in to the authorities, the third to do so under a month-long partial amnesty announced in June, the Interior Ministry announced. The man is suspected of being a top Al-Qaeda figure close to Osama Bin Laden and had been hiding along the Iran-Afghan border. "The wanted Saudi Khaled Ibn Odeh Ibn Mohammed Al-Harbi, alias Abu Suleiman Al-Makki, who had been in the Iranian-Afghan border region, contacted the (Saudi) embassy" in Iran, an Interior Ministry official said. Saudi Television showed a wheelchair-bound Al-Harbi being carried off a plane on arrival in the Kingdom, accompanied by a woman and a teenager. Al-Harbi said he was treated well and praised the amnesty. "Thank God... I called the embassy and we were very well received. I have come obeying God and obeying the (Kingdom's) rulers. This generous initiative undoubtedly offers a chance to any rational person" to mend his ways, he said. "Since he is paralyzed, he will be transferred directly to hospital to receive medical treatment," the official said. The announcement did not give more details, but Al-Harbi, a native of the holy city of Makkah, is known to have fought in Afghanistan alongside Al-Qaeda chief Bin Laden in the early 1980s, during the Soviet invasion. Al-Harbi, who was wounded while fighting in Bosnia, taught courses in Islam at the Grand Mosque in Makkah but dropped out of sight after the Sept 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. He is believed to have fled to Afghanistan at the time, and appeared alongside Bin Laden in a videotape aired by Qatar-based Al-Jazeera news channel in December 2001, during which he claimed that Muslim scholars "bless" the extremists' actions. Al-Harbi is the third person to surrender since the amnesty announced on June 23 by King Fahd giving all militants still in hiding one month to surrender or face an all-out crackdown. Two other militants have already surrendered in response to the amnesty and they include Othman Hadi Al-Maqbul Al-Amri, No. 21 on the most-wanted list. Iran said Harbi was repatriated at his own request and under the security accords between Tehran and Riyadh. "Mr. Khaled Al-Harbi..., following Saudi Arabia's annoucement of an amnesty, entered our country illegally from a neighboring country and asked to be handed over to his own country," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said in a statement. The Saudi Interior Ministry said that Harbi did not have any official documents when he arrived at the Saudi embassy in Tehran. The mission had issued the necessary papers for him and his family to fly them home "after coordination with Iranian authorities," the statement said. Al-Harbi graduated in Shariah law from the Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah in 1988, a source who was then in the college said. He taught in Makkah for a few years and dropped out of sight after 9/11. He is believed to have fled to Afghanistan via Iran around that time. A source said the disabled militant, suspected of being a top Al-Qaeda figure close to Osama Bin Laden and who had been hiding along the Iran-Afghan border, surrendered under an amnesty after contacting Riyadh embassy in Iran, Saudi authorities said. The intelligence branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, which reportedly handles the files of suspected Al-Qaeda members in Iran, resisted pressure from President Mohammed Khatami and Intelligence Minister Ali Yunessi to hand over such suspects to the Iranian interior ministry, the source said. However, the situation changed after Saudi Justice Minister Abdullah Al-Sheikh held talks in Iran with the head of the judicial authority, Ayatollah Mahmud Hashimi-Shahrudi, who is close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, added the source. The talks resulted in signing a memorandum of cooperation between the two judicial authorities... Hashimi then joined Khatami in calling for handing Saudi members of Al-Qaeda to the Kingdom, the source said. Tehran confirmed that Al-Harbi had been extradited, but at his own request. Foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told AFP that Harbi entered Iran illegally from a neighboring country and was handed over to his country at his own request. Under the security accords between the two countries and at the request of the concerned person, measures were adopted for this person, who had no identity document, to return to his country, Asefi said. Al-Harbi is the third militant to surrender since the month-long amnesty was offered on June 23, but does not figure on a 26-strong most-wanted list of suspected militants. For Saudi journalist Nada Al-Fayaz, the surrender is a great breakthrough for the Kingdom as the deadline set by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd for the militants to turn themselves in under a 30-day government amnesty announced June 23, nears. She said the amnesty offer to the militants to either surrender or face a harsh crackdown was already a success since three of the most dangerous militants have surrendered to the Saudi security. She pointed out that Al-Harbi, the most dangerous militant and an ally of Osama Bin Ladin, had surrendered in Iran that it demonstrated the far reaching effect of the Saudi amnesty offer.. She described Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz as an effective strategist, whose efficient policies have yielded excellent results to curb the acts of terrorism in the Kingdom by suspected groups of militants. It might seem too little that only three suspected militants have surrendered so far during the government s amnesty period which expires after nine days, she conceded. She believes that with the arrest of these dangerous militants some thousands of activists have become ineffective. Do you think the list most-wanted militants, which shows only 26 names actually meant only 26 terrorists? No, the list only shows the suspected militant leaders names. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the chief of Saudi security, has achieved tremendous success in the war on terror, because he is hunting the militant leaders while rendering the activists ineffective, she added. Meanwhile one of Saudi Arabia's most senior Muslim clerics urged supporters of Osama Bin Laden Al-Qaeda group to surrender under a limited amnesty offered last month that extremists have so far rejected. Sheikh Saud Al-Sheraim one of the Imams of the Grand Mosque in Makkah has thrown his weight behind calls for terrorists to surrender under a month-long amnesty announced by the government in late June. "Hurry, you who committed mistakes and are now in hiding, to make this initiative a new beginning in correcting (your behavior) and return to the true path," Sheikh Saud Al-Sheraim said in his Friday sermon. Addressing hundreds of thousands of worshippers at the Grand Mosque, he said Saudi authorities were sincere in forgiving militants who voluntarily surrender. Praising repentance as an Islamic ideal, he called on all those who deviated from the right path to return to the fold of Islam. "Hurry to catch up with those who have been promised forgiveness in life and death, for Almighty Allah has said to those who have repented ... that He is forgiving and merciful." The one-month offer announced by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd on June 23 gave terrorists 30 days to turn themselves in. "All those affiliated to this group (of terrorists) and who were not captured have a chance to return to God and engage in soul-searching." Those surrendering would be guaranteed personal safety but would still have to face claims from the families of victims, Crown Prince Abdullah said in a televised speech. So far two terror suspects, one of whom appeared on a list of 26 most wanted militants, have handed themselves in under the amnesty. Al-Sheraim stressed the need for Muslims to seek advice in searching for the truth, and attempt cooperation and reconciliation. He indicated that terror attacks in Muslim countries was a sign of "grave danger" and must be confronted. "What is taking place in Muslim countries, the killing and terrorizing of the innocent, is something evil and a sign of great danger," he said. "Such acts must never be ignored or justified but confronted and stopped by all available means. These acts should never be accepted under any justification. The only winners are the enemy lying in wait and the envious who rejoice in others' misfortune," he added. On the other hand Iraq's interim Human Rights Minister said Pictures of American abuse from Abu Ghraib that shocked the world will never be repeated and conditions inside the jail are improving. Mr Bakhtiar Amin said his ministry was conducting weekly visits to the prison on the outskirts of Baghdad after reaching agreement with the US general in charge of the jail. "Abu Ghraib is now better than it used to be," Mr Amin told a news conference. "We were promised... that those pictures we saw will not be seen again. We are observing Abu Ghraib now and nothing like this is happening." The pictures taken at Abu Ghraib late last year, and made public in April, embarrassed the US government. Some showed American soldiers piling naked Iraqis into a pyramid and threatening them with dogs. In one, a hooded prisoner has electrical wires attached to his body. The United States formally handed sovereignty back to Iraq on June 28 but still controls Abu Ghraib and other detention centres where anti-American insurgents or senior members of Mr Saddam Hussein's regime are being held. Mr Sadoun Sultan, a ministry official who heads the weekly visit to Abu Ghraib, said the first time they went to the facility on May 27, conditions were "not perfect". "What we saw was not great and not perfect but then after a second, third and fourth visit things have improved. What we saw on TV will not happen again. "We cannot be at every interrogation but we can meet the prisoners alone, so if there are violations then we will certainly know about them," Mr Sultan said. Mr Amin said prisoners were now getting better food and decent showers, while family visits were being made easier. "Now, the prisoners and the Americans and Iraqis working there eat the same food. Criminal prisoners are separated from security prisoners and we are trying to open a prison library." Security prisoners are those suspected of actual or potential involvement in violence against US-led forces or Iraqi targets. They include at least 90 foreign fighters. The US government insists foreigners are playing a key role in the insurgency in Iraq. Mr Amin said the largest number of foreign captives were from Syria, while others were from Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Turkey, Lebanon and Sudan. He said 77 were being held in a jail in the southern port of Um Qasr and a dozen in Abu Ghraib. "They are being detained under various charges such as planning terrorist attacks and photographing military posts. Some of them confessed that they belonged to Al Qaeda," he said. Mr Amin said lawyers from his ministry would also observe Mr Hussien's trial to ensure it meets international standards. The former Iraqi leader, who was driven from power by US-led forces in April 2003, appeared before an Iraqi judge on July 1 to hear charges that may lead to a formal indictment for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. In Sanaa President Ali Abdullah Saleh asked religious scholars to shoulder their responsibility in re-educating militants specially those who have been once "misled by the ideas of al-Hothi". In a meeting with senior religious leaders including the Chairman of Yemeni Scholars Association Mohammed Ismael al-Hajji, President Saleh delivered an account on the updates in Haydan of the northern province of Saadah where Hussein B. al-Hothi and dozens of fellow armed militants have mutinied against law and order. "It is regrettable that these young people have been deceived by the fallacious ideas of al-Hothi who intends to stir up fanaticism for damaging the national unity of the country," said President Saleh adding that Islam is a religion of "moderation, tolerance, unity, mercy, justice, right and peace". Recalling the history of Moslem fathers, the President cited how the moderate Islam spread across the world earning converts in droves. "He said that the religious scholars "should set a pattern" in moderation and rejection of racist ideas. The President, however, warned that "we will not allow anyone to disturb the law and order". Units of security and military forces encircled last fortresses of Al-Houthi, Ath-Thawra daily qouted sources of Sa'ada local authority as saying. Chasing operations are expected to get to an end in the few coming hours, and Al-Houthi and his supporters were given the chance to surrender themselves, sources added. Sources pointed out that citizens are chasing Al-Houthi supporters who fled to mountain caves after their fortresses had been destroyed by security forces being supported by military ones. On the other hand French Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said last Monday a threat by Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden to carry out terrorist attacks in Europe was no reason to cede to fear. "We shouldn't give these threats more importance than they have," de Villepin said at a joint news conference with Spanish Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso. "It's a terrorist game to play with these threats and the reply is not fear, but vigilance, determination and mobilization. That's our reply." The threat was made in a tape broadcast by the Al-Arabiya satellite TV station based in Dubai on April 15, promising peace to European countries that committed themselves "not to commit aggression against Muslims." The message said the offer was open for three months. The threat followed a terrorist attack on four Spanish suburban trains on March 11 that killed 191 people and injured about 1,900. De Villepin said the strategy of the terrorists was aimed at dividing European countries and frightening public opinion. "We must not get into that game," he said. Alonso said the Spanish government placed confidence in its security services and was maintaining maximum alert "to prevent and repress this kind of terrorism." The two ministers said they had agreed to step up cooperation in several fields, including the fight against terrorism, narcotics, illegal immigration and organized crime. They agreed to set up mixed patrols along the Spanish-French frontier and organize joint repatriation flights to send illegal immigrants back to their homelands, particularly to Romania. They said they had also discussed the establishment of a working group that would examine the question of expelling foreigners, particularly radical Islamists, who preach violence and hatred, and exchange lists of Islamists known to have attended training camps.