RIYADH, 8 November — Prince Turki Al-Faisal, former head of the Saudi intelligence, yesterday estimated Osama Bin Laden’s wealth at about $50 million. “Westerners have estimated it at between one and five billion dollars. But our estimate... put it at between $40 and $50 million at most.”
In the fifth part of a comprehensive interview with Arab News and the MBC television, Prince Turki also ruled out the possibility that the Al-Qaeda organization might have succeeded in amassing weapons of mass destruction. (Details on Page 17) “While I was in the intelligence service, we monitored all these claims — not only those related to Al-Qaeda, but regarding other organizations as well. But we have not received strong evidence to back that up.”
Asked whether Bin Laden has any frozen assets in the Kingdom, he said: “What I know is that when he left the Kingdom he had settled matters related to his partnership in the Muhammad Binladen Company with his brothers. If he had any other money, most probably it would be kept by the state to prevent him from using it to carry out his plans.”
The prince pointed out that Bin Laden had tried to gather followers in the Kingdom. “Don’t forget the blast that occurred in Olaya, Riyadh, several years ago. Those who were behind the explosions confessed to the crime and admitted that they were influenced by his thoughts. So there can be no doubt that he tried and will continue to try to gather followers,” he added.