JEDDAH, 24 April 2003 — Interior Minister Prince Naif yesterday denied suggestions that foreign hands were behind the recent gun attacks in the northern Jouf region that killed the region’s deputy governor, a judge and two policemen.
“There is too much of exaggeration about crimes in Jouf, which is part of our beloved country. It is like any other city in the Kingdom,” he said when asked about the repeated shooting incidents in the region.
Speaking to reporters after opening a security officers club in Riyadh on Tuesday night, Prince Naif said the investigation of the recent murder of a senior police officer in Sakaka, Jouf would not take long.
Lt. Col. Hamoud Ali Al-Rabie, director of Aziziya police station in Sakaka, was shot dead by an unidentified gunman on Monday while the officer was returning home from work, an Interior Ministry spokesman said.
Prince Naif said the shooting incidents in Jouf might have been caused by personal reasons or by elements which wanted to undermine the country’s security. “But we cannot say foreign hands were behind the attacks and I rule out that possibility,” he added.
Referring to reports of Saudis being martyred during the US-led war on Iraq, Prince Naif said: “We have not received any official information in this respect, but we don’t rule out such incidents.”
On the fund-raising campaign for the Iraqi people ordered by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, Prince Naif said the media campaign for the purpose would start on Sunday. Saudi Television will launch a telethon on Saturday to raise funds for the Iraqis.
Prince Naif, who is the general supervisor of the fund-raising campaign, called upon both Saudis and expatriates to respond favorably to the program aimed at alleviating the suffering of the Iraqi people.
“The Kingdom is ready to receive injured and sick Iraqis who need advanced medical treatment. We are ready to do more than relief work,” he said and hinted at plans to establish hospitals in Iraq.
The prince said the Cabinet reshuffle, which is expected to be announced early next month, will be decided by the country’s leadership. “But I can assure you that our leadership will select only those who are qualified to take up the responsibility,” he added.
In another development, Prince Naif yesterday met with editors in chief of Saudi newspapers and magazines in Riyadh and commended their “balanced and objective” coverage of recent events.
During the meeting, Prince Naif also noted the cohesion and harmony among Saudi society during emergency situations, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
