RIYADH, 8 June — Interior Minister Prince Naif said here on Wednesday that the suspects arrested in connection with the blast cases will be handed over to the courts after the investigations are completed.
Addressing a press conference here following a graduation ceremony at the Naif Arab Academy For Security Sciences, Prince Naif said these cases are like any other case; the nationalities involved did not make any difference.
The prince also said the security officers have identified the people who carried out a series of blasts in other Saudi cities.
He added that there was no evidence against the Briton who was extradited from United Arab Emirates. He was, however, involved in other violations — including leaving the country illegally. A Canadian, who was held in connection with the case, was released after inquiries.
Commenting on the obstacles that stood in the way of Kingdom’s accession to the World Trade Organization, Prince Naif said the government was trying its best to overcome them while maintaining the Kingdom’s religious values.
“The Kingdom is keen on playing a positive and influential role in the field of international trade, but at the same time it is keen on preserving its special features and deep-rooted Islamic values,” he said. “We can neither tolerate cultural invasion nor ideologies that contradict our basic values,” the prince added.
On the issue of Iraq’s violation of Saudi borders, he said though the incident was exaggerated by the press, it was a gross violation which could not be tolerated.
Underscoring the significant role being played by the Naif Arab Academy, the prince said it had earned a good reputation not only in the Arab world but also in the world at large. The prince also noted that the GCC interior ministers welcomed the security agreement between the Kingdom and Iran. “When I was in Iran, I became aware that Iran was planning to sign similar security agreements with all GCC states,” the prince said.
On the allegations about the violation of human rights in the Kingdom, the prince said those who made such allegations opposed the implementation of the Islamic Shariah. The Kingdom is determined to go ahead on the path of the Islamic Shariah, which respects human rights.
On the reported setting up of anti-terrorism forces in GCC states, the prince said, “Each GCC state has its own anti-terrorism force and it is possible for them to cooperate in this respect.”
The prince concluded by saying the card which enables GCC citizens to travel freely within the member states will be introduced after the technical conditions have been established. He also stressed the need to set up an institute to train Saudi men to work in households.
