ABHA, 23 February — Two Saudis — who were arrested and mistreated by Pakistani security officials on the suspicion of links with Osama bin Ladin — recently returned to the Kingdom after their innocence was established, Al-Watan reported yesterday.
Muhammad Ahmad Al-Asiri and his son Saad Al-Asiri went to the city of Peshwar in Pakistan, close to Afghan border, after learning that Muhammad's second son, Abdul Aziz, a student of the Teachers College in Abha, had gone there to join some Jihad groups. Abdul Aziz was said to have left his parent's home two months ago. He chose Afghanistan as his destination because he was turned down a request to go to Chechnya. Al-Asiris learned from the Saudi Passports Department that Abdul Aziz left for Pakistan via Bahrain on Jan. 31.
When Muhammad and Saad first arrived in the Pakistani capital, they registered their names and explained to the Saudi embassy their reason for visiting the country. They also sought the embassy's help in tracing Abdul Aziz. Not paying any attention to the ambassador's instructions to remain in the city until the problem was solved, the father and son proceeded to Peshwar after they learned that it was a base for volunteers of Jihad. From there they headed toward Bab Khaybar — an adjacent town near the city — where the training center for volunteers was located. There they were arrested by security officials. Both Saudis said they were put in a small cell which was already crammed with 20 others. They were ill-treated and were denied even the simplest rights such as using the toilet and having access to water for offering prayers. They could not communicate with the embassy because their mobile phones were seized by the prison authorities. Their captors did not speak neither English nor Arabic.
Three days later, a high official of Bab Khaybar arrived at the prison with a photographer of an international news agency. He was shown to the cell where the Saudis were being held. Without asking any questions, the photographer took their photos and the two men left.
Al-Asiris only chance for escaping prison was faking illness. Muhammad pretended to be very ill and was taken to the city hospital under heavy security. At the hospital, he bribed a guard to allow his son to go out. Once his son was out of the hospital premises, he telephoned the embassy officials and told them of their situation. The embassy took up the matter and they were released from prison. To their surprise, the Asiris found out that they were arrested on the suspicion of taking money to Bin Ladin in Afghanistan. During that time the men had only $2,400 and 800 rupees in their possession.
After a long drama, they were allowed to return to Islamabad and from there to the Kingdom.
Saad Al-Asiri is currently seeking advice on the possibility of suing the news agency for publishing baseless reports that linked them with Bin Ladin. The agency did not offer their apologies as the Pakistani authorities did when their innocence was established.
Kingdom's Ambassador to Pakistan Ali ibn Awad also attested to the innocence of Al-Asiris as the reason why they went to the border city, despite their neglect of his instructions.
