JEDDAH, 5 July 2005 — Crown Prince Abdullah yesterday lashed out at terrorists who try to undermine the Kingdom’s security and stability and said the government was determined to finish them off and drive them from their hide-outs. “We will continue with our campaign to wipe out the deviant group (Al-Qaeda) and exterminate the roots of terrorism and terrorists who target the nation’s security and safety,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted him as saying.
Prince Abdullah was speaking at the weekly Cabinet meeting one day after Saudi security forces killed the leader of the Al-Qaeda terror network in the Kingdom. The leader, Moroccan Younus Mohamed Al-Hayari, was shot dead during a fierce gunbattle in an eastern Riyadh neighborhood.
The crown prince commended the security forces for the good work and said their “great sacrifices” had helped the country eliminate a large number of terrorists and prevented many terrorist attacks. He also praised the cooperation extended by Saudis and expatriates to security officers.
On Sunday, in a message to US President George W. Bush, Prince Abdullah said the Kingdom would continue its efforts to root out “all elements of destruction and terrorism” in cooperation with the United States and other friendly countries.
Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani said Prince Abdullah also briefed the Cabinet on the outcome of his talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Riyadh on Saturday and said the talks focused on the Palestinian issue, the situation in Iraq and ways of strengthening bilateral ties.
While discussing a report on last week’s OIC foreign ministers’ conference in Sanaa, the Cabinet emphasized the importance of strengthening the Organization of the Islamic Conference so that it could play an effective role at the global level.
The Cabinet meeting also expressed the Kingdom’s continued opposition to Israel’s construction of the wall in the occupied West Bank and urged peace-loving countries to stop this flagrant violation of international charters. The meeting reviewed the distressing situation in Iraq and called for steps to end the acts of violence and destruction in the war-torn country. It also took a number of other decisions including Saudi Arabia’s accession to the United Nations Privileges and Immunities Pact.
The Cabinet authorized the Islamic affairs minister to sign a memorandum of understanding with his Yemeni counterpart to promote the message of Islam abroad and exchange expertise. The Kingdom will sign another agreement with Yemen for agricultural cooperation, Madani said.
Yanbu-2 to Be Launched Today
Meanwhile, Prince Abdullah will lay the foundation stone for the second industrial city in Yanbu today. Covering an area of 66 square kilometers, Yanbu-2 is expected to attract industrial investments worth SR115 billion. The final phase of the project will be completed in 2019.
Prince Saud ibn Abdullah ibn Thunayan, chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, said his organization would spend SR12 billion on infrastructure projects required by the new industrial city.
While in Yanbu, Prince Abdullah will also distribute the deeds of 458 houses constructed for the poor to deserving families in the villages of Al-Shabaan, Al-Hussa, Al-Nebah and Al-Ghala on the Kingdom’s western coast.
