JEDDAH, 28 March 2004 — Interior Minister Prince Naif yesterday denied the Kingdom released a group of activists under foreign pressure.
“There is no link between the release of some individuals detained recently for investigation and foreign pressure,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the minister as saying.
Prince Naif was referring to the release of some of the 13 reformists arrested last week. The United States at the time said the arrest was a step backward for political change in the Kingdom. A Saudi Foreign Ministry official said the Kingdom was “disappointed” by US statement on the arrests.
“We were disappointed over the US State Department’s statement about the Kingdom’s arrest of a number of citizens involved in acts of sabotage... and disorder at a time when the country is being attacked by terrorists and is in great need of unity,” the ministry said. “The government considers this an internal security matter... that only concerns the Kingdom,” the statement said. It said the detainees had been involved in “incitement and using the names of well-known and reputable people without their permission to create confusion.”
Prince Naif said the activists were arrested for making provocative statements and making contacts with foreign parties. “They were released on the basis of an internal decision,” the prince said. Reports carried by a number of news agencies and websites on the issue were “false”, he added.
Prince Naif said some of the detainees were released after they acknowledged their mistake. “Ever since its establishment, Saudi Arabia has been dealing with its domestic and external affairs with complete independence. It is not subject to any foreign power,” he said.
“The Kingdom depends first on God and then on what is dictated by Islamic principles and its national interest. We will never accept any interference in our affairs because we do not like to meddle in the affairs of others,” the prince said.
