SANAA, 23 October — Interior Minister Prince Naif yesterday attributed the protest rallies against the United Sates and Britain in the Islamic world to the pro-Israeli stand of the two countries while the Jewish state continues its killing of Palestinian civilians.

However, speaking to reporters on arrival in the Yemeni capital, Prince Naif expressed his satisfaction over the recent statement by President George Bush in support of an independent Palestinian state.

Referring to accusations by two US Congressmen of the Saudi double role, he said: “Saudi Arabia has never helped any terrorist activity. If anybody has evidence (contrary to this fact), he must produce it.”

On Sunday, Arizona Sen. John McCain, a Republican, and Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, accused Saudi Arabia and Egypt of not doing enough in America’s war against terrorism and of supporting some extremist groups in their own countries.

Prince Naif said: “I am sorry to say that they are wrong in their dealing with the Kingdom in this manner.”

He hoped that the Americans would stop the smear campaign against the Kingdom.

“They (Saudi Arabia) have been playing, as well as Egypt and a couple of other countries, a kind of a double game here,” said McCain, in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press. “They are kind of trying to have it both ways,” he added.

Lieberman said on the same program that the Kingdom and Egypt should take note of President Bush’s statement to Congress on Sept. 20 when he told nations they were either “with us or against us” in the war on terrorism.

Prince Naif said Saudi Arabia has been a victim of terrorism for the past 20 years, ever since the attack on the Holy Mosque in 1979, followed by a series of bombings. “This shows that there are parties who oppose our ties with America,” he stated.

Asked about reports of Saudis traveling to Peshawar to fight alongside Osama Bin Laden and the Taleban, the interior minister said: “Saudis travel to different countries but we don’t have anything to confirm (that anyone is going to fight for Bin Laden).”

On the fatwa issued by a Saudi scholar urging Muslims to join the Afghans in their jihad, Prince Naif said: “A fatwa cannot be issued by any individual. It comes under the jurisdiction of legal authorities like the Dar Al-Ifta.”

He said jihad was allowed only when a Muslim ruler called for it.

He called upon the Western world not to be suspicious of Arab countries and highlighted the joint efforts of Arab and Gulf countries to combat terrorism.

Prince Naif said the Arab group in Afghanistan was at variance with Islam “as Islam does not permit the killing of innocent people.”

On the purpose of his visit to Yemen, Prince Naif said it was to complete the ministerial committee’s work regarding implementation of the Saudi-Yemeni border agreement signed in June last year.

He emphasized the need to strengthen security cooperation between the two Arab neighbors. “We have to be always in contact to protect our security,” he added.

He said Saudi Arabia and Yemen have identical views on terrorism.