JEDDAH, 13 November 2006 — “Iraq now constitutes the main base of terrorists,” Interior Minister Prince Naif said yesterday, adding that the GCC countries would adopt a united strategy to deal with events in the war-torn country.
“The condition in Iraq is changing day by day, posing multiple dangers for the region. We are living this situation and doing everything possible,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted Prince Naif as saying.
He was speaking to reporters in Riyadh yesterday before leaving for Abu Dhabi to attend a meeting of GCC interior ministers.
Prince Naif said terrorism would figure high on the agenda of the meeting.
He said some agencies were taking young Saudis to Iraq and using them as “explosives”. “I mean they are being used to carry out explosions. ... These youths go to Jordan and Syria ... and then sneak into Iraq. They will never be able to do that through our borders,” he said.
Speaking about his meeting with Iraqi Vice President Tarek Al-Hashmi in Makkah, Naif said it was a cordial meeting and not for discussing any particular issue.
Prince Naif said the trial of suspects involved in terrorist attacks across the Kingdom would start soon.
He called for greater security cooperation among the six GCC states. “We have to act like one agency in dealing with security matters,” he said.
He said the GCC secretariat was conducting a study on thoughts and ideas that promote terrorism and how to deal with them.
The Abu Dhabi meeting will also discuss ways of facilitating travel of GCC citizens between the member countries, Naif said.
