JEDDAH, 25 January 2004 — In a move aimed at tracking down terror suspects, the Interior Ministry is distributing booklets in foreign languages with pictures of most wanted suspects.

The government put out a list of 26 wanted men on Dec. 6 last year. The list with pictures was published in all newspapers. Authorities said the men were connected to the terrorist attacks which had taken place in the Kingdom over the past few months.

One of the suspects, Mansour ibn Muhammad Ahmad Faqeeh, surrendered to police last month. Before that security forces shot another suspect, Ibrahim ibn Muhammad Al-Rayyes, bringing the number down to 24.

The booklets have been published in different languages, including English and French, an Interior Ministry statement said. They contain names and pictures of the suspects.

The booklets are clearly aimed at foreigners living in the Kingdom. They will be distributed free as inserts in the country’s seven Arabic-language and two English-language dailies.

Authorities have offered an SR1 million reward for information leading to the arrest of one of the wanted men. The reward will rise to SR5 million for information leading to the arrest of more than one, and to SR7 million for actions that foil an attempted terrorist attack.

The list of most wanted includes Saudis, a Yemeni and two Moroccans.

Security forces have confiscated 300 explosive belts and nearly 24 tons of explosive material over the past few months, the Interior Ministry announced recently.

The seizures by police included more than 300 rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, and more than 430 hand grenades, some of which were locally manufactured. Security forces also seized 1,020 weapons, over 352,300 rounds of ammunition and 674 detonators as well as preventing several criminal terrorist operations in the last phases of planning, the Saudi Press Agency quoted the ministry as saying.

After raids on terrorist hideouts, police have also confiscated communications devices, timers and equipment to set up truck bombs. The ministry statement also said security forces had detained “a large number” of people used as “terror tools.”

The ministry called upon Islamic scholars and the media to play a role in eliminating extremism from the country. “Terrorists want to impose their deviant thoughts and ideas on the country and its people,” the ministry said.