RIYADH, 31 July 2003 — Fahd Al-Baheli, the office manager of the Prince Sultan ibn Abdul Aziz Committee for Relief to the Republic of Malawi, returned here last Friday after being held by authorities in the sub-Saharan country for 37 days.
Police arrested Al-Baheli in Malawi on June 22 with four other employees of Islamic philanthropic organizations — a Sudanese, a Kenyan, and two Turks. He was released because no evidence could be found linking him to terrorist activities including transferring money to terrorist organizations, contrary to reports by some wire agencies at the time of his arrest.
Dr. Faisal Bali, president of the Prince Sultan ibn Abdul Aziz Committee for Relief said Baheli’s arrest was a violation of the law because there was no evidence of his involvement in any activities other than those specified by the presidency of the committee and approved by the Malawi government.
He said the committee’s office in the Republic of Malawi, which Al-Baheli was running, was opened following a personal appeal from the president of Malawi for support of his country, and the office was set up in accordance with Malawi laws. The committee was given a license for philanthropic work by the Ministry of Justice in Malawi, he said.
Bali said the committee was able to accomplish in record time several relief programs including distribution of clothes and food, erection of medical camps, and construction of wells. “Millions have benefited from these programs,” Bali added.
He said the Kingdom’s leaders had followed the case closely. “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, Crown Prince Abdullah and Prince Sultan followed the case from its very start and concluded that the committee in Malawi and its office manager are innocent of any wrongdoing,” he said.
He said the efforts of the Prince Sultan ibn Abdul Aziz relief committee were not harmed by what happened which was “suspicions that aimed at tarnishing the image of philanthropic and humanitarian services that are done by Saudi Arabia abroad, to defame it and nothing more.”
Al-Baheli told Asharq Al-Awsat, a sister publication of Arab News, that he was not tortured and did not face any problems during his stay in detention, except for suffering from depression for being held over a month without charges. Security personnel there treated him well, he said.
Al-Baheli said he had no knowledge whether US officials had a hand in his arrest. “The return to my country is proof that I and the committee I work for are innocent of the allegations,” he added. Al-Baheli said he would not hesitate to return to Malawi after being released, saying: “I am at the disposal of officials. I do not mind going back and have no reservations.”
