July 23, 2004

CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH IBN ABDUL AZIZ PAYS A VISIT TO PRINCE SULTAN. PRINCE SULTAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ: WE DO NOT CALL THE TERRORISTS ACTS A WAR IT IS A FUSS IN A CUP THAT WILL DISAPPEAR QUICKLY. PRINCE SULTAN EXPRESSES HIS REGRETS OVER THE DIFFERENCES AND DISPUTES AMONG THE PALESTINIANS, AND CALLES ON THEM TO UNITE TO CONFRONT THE ISRAELI ENEMY. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, paid a visit to Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General at his palace. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz expressed his pleasure over the recovery of his brother Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, wishing him permanent good health. On his part, Prince Sultan thanked the Crown Prince for his noble feelings, wishing him all success in his continual service to the homeland and its citizens. The reception was attended by Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs, Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Tabuk region, Prince Turki Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Culture and Information, Prince Abdul Aziz, Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and Prince Bandar Ibn Salman Ibn Mohamed Al Saud, Advisors at the Crown Prince's court, Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of State, member of the Cabinet and President of the Council of Ministers' Court, Prince Salman Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister Plenipotentiary at the Saudi Embassy in Washington and a number of princes. On the other hand Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received a copy of the annual report of Saudi Red Crescent Society for the year 1424H. and a copy of deliberations of the Conference of Human Rights in Peace and War organized by the Society in Riyadh recently. The Crown Prince received the two copies during his audience at Al-Salam palace with Dr. Hamad Ibn Abdullah Al-Manei, Minister of Health and Society's Chairman of Board of Directors accompanied by Dr. Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Suwailim, the Society's President and a number of officials. The audience was attended by Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and Prince Dr. Bandar Ibn Salman Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Advisors at the Crown Prince's court. Meanwhile Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General thanked Allah for the innumerable blessings bestowed on him especially his recovery after the surgical operation he underwent. Many people came from all walks of life to inquire about his health illustrating the care shown for the Saudi leadership, the Prince said. Prince Sultan also noted the visit made to him by King Fahd, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, when he was hospitalized, as well as the daily visits by Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard. Specially mentioning the visits to him by kings, emirs and prime ministers of friendly countries who came all the way to call on him, he expressed his heartfelt thanks to them for the visits. Prince Sultan also referred to the wave of violence and terrorism that swept the country by people in the Kingdom who were exploited by terrorists to carry out violent acts and plots against the country. He said that "this evil group will not affect the unity of this county, the land of the Two Holy Mosques, thus they are falling one after another." He lauded the efforts exerted by security men, the National Guard and Armed Forces and whoever supported them in fighting and defeating the deviant group. "From the stand of power and strength they have been granted a pardon.... pardon always emerges from victory and from noble generous people, he said. Thus the pardon granted by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques signifies his generosity and magnanimity to those who were restored to sound reason." Prince Sultan said he hoped that the rest of the fugitives will follow the footsteps of those who turned themselves and reverted to sound reason. He described amnesty as something all terrorists should benefit from. He continued: "Our beloved country is open to all the sons of the soil and our hearts are open to everyone who comes to the right path. Islam is a religion of mercy, love, peace and tolerance and not a religion of war, killing and terrorism." Prince Sultan regretted the developments sweeping the Middle East, especially the differences and disputes among the Palestinians, stressing "these differences are not in the interest of either party and will lead to the disintegration of the internal front. The biggest beneficiaries of these differences are the Israeli enemies. Prince Sultan called on the Palestinians to unite to confront the Israeli enemy. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, had received at his palace Dr. Salih Ibn Humaid, Chairman of Shoura Council; Mohammed Al-Nuwaiser, Chief of the Royal Court; ministers; senior officials; General Salih Al-Mohayya, Chief of General Staff; senior officers of the armed forces and the National Guard; and commanders of the security sectors of the interior ministry who came to greet him. They all praised Almighty Allah for the recovery of Prince Sultan and wished him permanent good health to continue his service to the homeland and its citizens. In his impromptu speech, Prince Sultan thanked them for their noble feelings to come and be reassured about his health following the successful surgery he has recently undergone. Prince Sultan thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz and the Crown Prince for visiting him at the hospital to be reassured about his health. He also thanked princes, ministers, Ulema and all people for their visits and thanked leaders and officials of Arab, Islamic and friendly countries for inquiring after his health. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz expressed his regrets that the kingdom has suffered from a wave of violence and terrorism at the hands of individuals of the deviating group who were exploited and used by others as tools to commit criminal and terrorists designs. He noted that Ulema unanimously described these acts as criminal. Prince Sultan said that we do not call it a war against the deviating group, but it is a fuss in a cup that will disappear quickly. He praised the efforts of brave security men, the National Guard, the armed forces and everyone who supports them to crush this deviating group. Affirming that pardon emanates from a position of strength and is always accompanied victory, Prince Sultan praised the pardon issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. He noted that some individuals came back to their senses and repented, calling on others to make advantage of the pardon period and surrender to authorities. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz stressed that Islam is a religion of mercy and peace and it has nothing to do with war, terrorism and killing. In a press statement, replying to a question, Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz said that there is no assistance at all from the United States to the Kingdom, but there is cooperation on military training. It means expenditures for officers going and coming back and the Saudi government is ready to provide them, he noted. Prince Sultan, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General called on the militants still at large to take advantage of a royal amnesty before it expires on Friday. Prince Sultan said: "Islam is a religion of compassion, mercy and peace. Terrorists still in hiding should make use of the amnesty and surrender before it is too late." "We hope that those remaining will be reasonable enough to use the period left to turn themselves in. Amnesty usually comes from men of magnanimity and generosity and it always comes with victory. The amnesty declared by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd was a noble act and we hope those who have not given themselves up would benefit from this pardon," Prince Sultan said. On June 23 the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz issued a limited amnesty for those involved in a series of terror acts that killed nearly 90 people, including foreigners and Saudis, over a period of two years, warning them to turn themselves in within 30 days or face the full might of the state. In a televised speech read on his behalf by Crown Prince Abdullah, Ibn Abdul Aziz, the king said all those affiliated to the group and who were not captured had a chance to return to God and engage in soul-searching. "Those who turn themselves in of their own will within a month of this speech will be secure in the security of God as far as they are concerned, and will be treated according to God's law pertaining to the rights of others. The rational who take up (the offer) will be secure. As for those who spurn it, by God, our forbearance will not prevent us from striking with the full force we draw from our reliance on God," warned the crown prince. Since the month-long amnesty was issued four wanted militants have come forward despite government assurances that they would be exonerated should they repent. Last Sunday it was announced that foreign countries had handed over 27 wanted Saudis to the Kingdom's security forces. They were all wanted on security grounds. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, said the Kingdom has been subjected to a wave of violence and terrorism committed by some Saudis who have been used as tools by others to carry out criminal acts. The security forces were winning their battle against those behind the acts of violence in the country. "The deterioration of this deviant group and the downfall of its figures one after the other confirms that Allah is looking after this country," he said. The authorities have repeated that the amnesty will not be extended and those who opt not to take advantage of it have been threatened with a harsh crackdown. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz held a luncheon party in honor of the attendance. The meeting was attended by Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs, Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Tabuk Region, Prince Faisal Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Charitable Foundation, Prince Mohammed Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, Prince Turki Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Culture and Information and Prince Salman Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister Plenipotentiary at the Saudi embassy in the United States of America.