DAMMAM, 23 July 2003 — Saudi Arabia vowed not to rest until it has “cleaned up” the Kingdom of any remaining terror cells following the arrest of 16 suspected terrorists, thwarting attacks on key installations in the Kingdom. Interior Minister Prince Naif told Asharq Al-Awsat, a sister publication of Arab News, the 16 detained men were “certainly” members of Al-Qaeda.
“We will not stop until we are absolutely certain that the country has been cleaned of these people,” Prince Naif vowed, adding that it was premature to call a halt to the crackdown on suspected militants.
A large cache of arms and ammunitions was found in hideouts in Riyadh, Qasim and the Eastern Province. Prince Naif said the weapons had been smuggled into the Kingdom, adding that further details would be provided only after a full investigation was completed.
Prince Bandar ibn Sultan, Saudi ambassador to the United States, released a statement overnight saying the “arrests put yet another dent in Al-Qaeda’s terror network.”
“They should serve as a warning to anyone who would jeopardize the security of Saudi Arabia’s citizens and residents that we will find them and bring them to justice,” Prince Bandar said.
The continuing heavy security arrangements and the arrest of large numbers of suspected terrorists mean that Western expatriates in the Eastern Province are starting to believe that the situation is fast returning to normal. The security forces continue to be on high alert and roadblocks in the cities of the region have become a common sight. All housing compounds in Alkhobar, Dhahran, Dammam and Jubail have been fortified with armored vehicles and heavy security presence. “Security arrangements and quick action against suspected terrorists have given us tremendous confidence. We feel much more secure and the element of fear is fast disappearing,” said Andrew Jackson, an American consultant living in a compound in Alkhobar. He admitted that life has not yet to return to normal, but added things are improving fast.
Frank, who refused to reveal his full name, is an employee of British Aerospace and has once again started visiting his favorite Italian restaurant in Alkhobar. “For almost eight weeks we were confined inside our compound. Life became monotonous, and fear of terrorists attacks made things worse. We are moving around, though not as much as in the past,” he said.
Rachel, an American housewife whose husband works for Saudi Aramco, said she was concerned for her children’s education as many schools were closed down in the wake of bomb attack in Riyadh. “But now that things are returning to normal, the school management informed us that the schools will re-open after the summer break — that’s great news,” she said. (Additional input from agencies)
