RIYADH, 30 October — Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmad has ruled out any involvement by Osama Bin Laden in the string of recent explosions in Saudi Arabia, in which several foreigners were killed and wounded.
He was speaking to reporters after a ceremony for the distribution of environmental prizes set up by the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development here on Sunday night.
Asked whether Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda organization was behind the attacks, Prince Ahmad said: "We have absolutely no proof against him."
Prince Ahmad said Bin Laden, who was stripped of Saudi nationality in 1994, was of no concern to the Kingdom.
"We had asked Bin Laden to return to the Kingdom when he was in Sudan, because we found he was surrounded by untrustworthy people. But he did not respond. As a result, we withdrew his Saudi citizenship," Prince Ahmad added.
The deputy interior minister also refuted media allegations that Saudi Arabia did not cooperate to track down the criminals behind the 1996 Alkhobar bombing.
Washington had linked Bin Laden to the June 1996 bombing of a US military compound in Alkhobar that killed 19 American servicemen. "The US authorities did not tell us that we did not cooperate. We have cooperated with the US and other countries to fight terrorism. We also expect more cooperation from other countries for the benefit of all," he added.
Prince Ahmad downplayed the hate crimes against Saudis in the West, saying that the Kingdom had not been informed of any serious crimes. However, he urged Saudi nationals to closely abide by the rules and regulations of the countries they visit, saying many Saudis had been questioned in the West for violating visa and other regulations.
Prince Ahmad issued a harsh warning to those who try to create anthrax scare in the country by sending white powder in mail. "They will be brought to book," he said.
A series of explosions, believed to be linked to illegal alcohol trade, rocked Riyadh and Alkhobar over the past year. Several Western expatriates have been killed and wounded.
A dozen Westerners are in jail awaiting trial as inquiries continue into bootlegging and the explosions.
The motive behind a blast in Alkhobar on Oct. 6, which killed two people and wounded four others, is yet to be established.
The four wounded — an American, a Briton and two Filipinos — were released from hospital on Thursday, according to an hospital official.
At the awards ceremony earlier, Prince Ahmad honored 20 national organizations and individuals, including three women, for their contributions to environmental preservation.
The NCWCD organized the Prince Sultan Competition for Environmental Service, which was sponsored by Saudi Aramco.
Representatives of public and private sectors as well as volunteers who worked on environmental projects were present.
The winners included, among others, Saudi Aramco, King Khaled University Hospital and Al-Faisaliah Group. Dr. Abdulaziz Abuzinada, secretary-general of NCWCD, received a memento for his efforts in creating environmental awareness.
Three categories of prizes — coastal, terrestrial and coral reefs — were awarded to the participants for their contributions to the environmental campaign in Jizan, Asir, Riyadh and Makkah regions. Journalists, writers and academic institutions were also honored. A documentary highlighting the environmental preservation campaign in those areas was screened on the occasion.
Thanking the organizers and sponsors of the competition, Prince Ahmad said the event reflected a high level of public interest in preserving the environment.
"This competition which you have organized is part of our national drive to live in harmony with the environment," Prince Ahmad said, adding that such efforts had come a long way in reining in environmental pollution.
Speaking on behalf of NCWCD, Dr. Abuzinada cited the Commission’s role in wildlife conservation and development. NCWCD, he pointed out, had established sanctuaries all over the Kingdom as part of its plan to preserve and promote biodiversity.
