RIYADH, 17 June 2004 — Saudi Arabia will not give in to Al-Qaeda’s demands to free jailed militants to secure the release of an American the group kidnapped last week, Saudi official sources said yesterday.
Al-Qaeda has threatened that unless Saudi authorities free the militants by Friday it will kill the hostage, engineer Paul Marshal Johnson.
“There is no way they are going to agree to their demands,” Nawaf Obaid, a senior Saudi security consultant, said.
“There is no way they will release any of those militants who have been key to providing information to disrupt operations of those (militants) outside.”
Saudi government foreign affairs adviser Adel Al-Jubeir told CNN that his government was looking into the situation and consulting the United States on what actions to take.
“And then we will make decisions on what the next steps are, but our history has been one of not negotiating with terrorists,” he said.
Reacting to the threat made by the captors, the US Embassy in Riyadh categorically rejected the demands saying that it would not make any concessions to individuals or groups holding its citizens.
It added that it would lend its maximum support to the Saudi government for the release of the captive.
“Our hearts go out to Johnson and family and our goal is his release and his safe return to his loved ones as soon as possible,” said Robert Keith, the press attaché at the embassy.
The threat to kill Johnson, which follows a spate of suicide bombings and shootings in the past six weeks, raised the stakes in Al-Qaeda’s war to drive out Westerners from the world’s largest oil exporter.
On a website, Al-Qaeda showed Johnson, kidnapped in the capital Riyadh on Saturday, blindfolded and sitting in a chair with one sleeve of his orange uniform ripped off showing a tattoo.
An accompanying statement said: “If the Saudi government wants to secure the release of the American hostage, they must release our mujahedeen held hostage in its jails. They have 72 hours from today (Tuesday) or else we will sacrifice him.”
Mansour Al-Nogaidan, a Saudi writer, said he believed Johnson would be killed and that the militants would carry out more attacks and kidnappings.
“There will be no negotiations or release of anyone. This American will be killed and there will be more kidnappings. This is a dangerous escalation.
“These cells have a strong information network and they are planning their moves very carefully. It seems that what is coming will be much worse,” Nogaidan said.
A US State Department official said Washington would use every appropriate resource to gain Johnson’s safe release but would make no concessions to the kidnappers.
US President George W. Bush is closely watching the fate of Johnson, and officials have been in touch with the man’s family, a spokesman said yesterday.
“Any time there is an American citizen involved in a situation like this it’s a high priority for the administration,” White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters at a briefing.
“We are in close contact with Saudi officials and working closely with them. We’re in close contact with Mr. Johnson’s family, as well. The president is being briefed and kept informed of the situation on a regular basis,” said McClellan.
The family of Johnson pleaded tearfully for his life yesterday, after his captors issued the execution ultimatum.
As well as appealing to the hostage-takers, Johnson’s sister and son, in an interview with CNN, also urged the Saudi government to do everything in its power to secure his safe release.
“He’s an innocent man. Killing him is not going to solve anything,” said Johnson’s sister, Donna Mayeux. “Please don’t murder him.” Johnson’s son, Paul Marshall Johnson III, broke down as he pleaded with the Saudi authorities and the militants to make sure his father was released unharmed.
— With additional input from agencies.
