RIYADH, 28 May 2003 — The Kingdom will seek the extradition of any Saudis who may be among the Al-Qaeda members detained in Iran and could have had a role in the Riyadh bombings, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said yesterday.
Addressing a press conference here, the prince said Saudi Arabia had information that weapons were being smuggled into the Kingdom from Iraq following the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime.
“We have information about smuggling of weapons through the Iraqi border. We will get in touch with the occupying powers there to see what can be done about it,” he said.
Prince Saud said Iran had cooperated in the past and handed over several Saudis suspected of being members of Al-Qaeda. “We expect to receive the same cooperation based on the security pact” signed by the two countries, he said.
“We heard statements from Iranian officials about arresting some members of Al-Qaeda...We have a security agreement with them...If they have any Saudis, we will seek their extradition,” he said.
Iran’s state-run radio said on Monday that the government had detained a number of Al-Qaeda members but added they were not senior members of the terror network.
Prince Saud vowed to pursue the “murderers” behind this month’s bombings in Riyadh and those who support them. “Saudi Arabia will not hesitate to face these criminal acts in all their aspects and crack down on the people who perpetrate these horrible acts...or encourage them,” he said.
“These are murderers, who deserve nothing but to be dealt with effectively and strongly. The criminals will be incarcerated and those who abet them will also be taken into custody,” the prince said.
Asked whether the terrorists carried out the attacks to push for reforms, Prince Saud said the suicide bombers in the Riyadh attacks were “people who want us to return to the 14th century. As to their intent, I don’t think it goes beyond common criminality.
“If it’s their intention to change the government’s attitude toward reform...or its association with the international community, especially the United States, it will not happen. They are murderers.”
He said the Kingdom had taken all necessary measures to prevent fresh terror attacks, but “those who say that nothing will happen are exaggerating...We assume the worst-case scenario and hope for the best.”
On Iraq, Prince Saud welcomed last week’s lifting of economic sanctions by the United Nations.
