RIYADH, 14 October — Interior Minister Prince Naif yesterday confirmed that the government plans to start fingerprinting Americans entering the Kingdom in a reciprocal measure.
“Our dealings (with other countries) will be reciprocal. We’ll deal with every country in the same way as they deal with us,” the prince told reporters who asked him about the measures taken in response to US travel restrictions on Saudis.
He also said Assistant Interior Minister for Security Affairs Prince Mohammed ibn Naif had met top officials in the United States last week to reinforce bilateral cooperation in the war against terrorism.
New stringent US immigration checks on nationals from several Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, went into effect on Oct. 1.
They require Saudi male visitors to the US to undergo digital fingerprinting and photographing, and to provide information on travel plans.
Under these rules, male visitors aged between 16 and 45 are required to register with the authorities upon entering the United States.
Such visitors are also required to appear for an interview at immigration offices if they wish to stay in the United States for more than 30 days. They must notify the authorities within 10 days of changing their place of residence.
There are between 30,000 and 40,000 Americans in Saudi Arabia. The number of Saudi travelers to the United States has sharply dropped following the Sept. 11 events.
Prince Naif said investigations into the car bomb blast that killed a German in Riyadh last month were progressing well.
He said the government will not interfere with the judiciary. “When a case is referred to the judiciary, we do not interfere until it is resolved by the court,” he added.
The minister expressed concern over the presence of Al-Qaeda cells in Kuwait and urged GCC citizens to stay clear of the terror network. He cited the negative effects of Al-Qaeda’s activities on the Ummah and the Palestinian issue.
He said the recent GCC interior ministers’ meeting in Muscat had agreed to activate the anti-terror agreement and set out a working program to combat terrorism. “ A working group has been set up for this purpose,” he added. He disclosed plans to launch a GCC-wide security awareness campaign within three months with the support of the media.
Prince Naif said Lebanon had not informed the Kingdom of the reported arrest of four Saudi Al-Qaeda suspects.
Answering another question, Prince Naif said that no exact figure was available on the rate of unemployment in the Kingdom. “What is reported (in the press) is just assumptions made on the basis of the number of graduates and workers in the country,” he added.
Prince Naif, who is chairman of the Manpower Council, urged private companies to employ more Saudis. He commended major companies such as SABIC and Saudi Aramco as well as national banks for achieving major strides in their Saudization drive.
