RIYADH, 21 November 2002 — Saudi authorities are still interrogating more than 100 Saudis from among hundreds rounded up for questioning about their alleged links with Al-Qaeda organization, Interior Minister Prince Naif said.
"Security authorities have already questioned nearly 700 Saudis who came back from Afghanistan," Prince Naif told reporters here last night. "Those who are still being held for interrogation number more than 100," he added.
The minister denied reports that there were thousands of former Mujahedeen who returned to the Kingdom from Afghanistan. "These reports are exaggerated," he said.
The Saudi authorities were questioning the former Mujahedeen, who fought with Soviet occupation forces, for possible links to Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network, which operated training bases in Afghanistan.
Prince Naif’s disclosure was the first official estimate of the number of detainees on terrorism charges in the Kingdom after last year’s Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers in those attacks were identified as Saudis.
The minister, who was speaking after attending a special session of the consultative Shoura Council, said the Saudi security authorities were well prepared to deal with Saudi fighters returning from Afghanistan.
Asked about the arrest of Mohammed Al-Sahim, a Saudi, in Riyadh on Saturday, Prince Naif confirmed that Sahim had links with terrorist groups. "He was wanted for quite a long time," he said without giving further details.
Prince Naif admitted there was delay in providing information on Sahim’s arrest, opening the door for speculations. However, he said the delay was not intentional but was meant to provide complete information.
The interior minister hoped that all Saudi prisoners held in the US prison camp in Guantanamo Bay will be released. "But the decision should be taken by the US authorities," he said, adding that the Kingdom was ready to send another delegation to the US base in Cuba if necessary.
He said the Kingdom had confirmed that the Saudis arrested in Morocco had links with terrorist groups.
Prince Naif, meanwhile, blasted British press reports that a Briton arrested in connection with a Riyadh blast and the killing of a German was tortured in a Saudi jail. "We know the truth and these reports will not change the truth."
He said investigations of people arrested in connection with the blast will take time because of its obscurity. "We allow embassies access to their citizens detained in the Kingdom and provide them the help of lawyers," he pointed out.
Asked about reports that the Kingdom plans to provide citizenship to about 26,000 people belonging to tribes living in border areas, Prince Naif said citizenship will be granted to those who have fulfilled the conditions.
He said people applying for citizenship should be a permanent resident of the Kingdom for at least five years, should have assimilated in society and his records must be clean. "Those who fulfill these conditions are qualified to apply for citizenship," he added.
However, he said the Kingdom was not enthusiastic in providing citizenship to foreigners.
Prince Naif said the Kingdom will not allow any foreign parties to dictate what it should do. He highlighted the achievements of the Shoura Council, which he said was comprised of highly qualified academics, professionals and experts.
Prince Naif said the governors of principalities will play major roles to promote tourism. He was commenting on the plan of the Supreme Commission for Tourism to provide training to the governors.
