JEDDAH, 28 April 2008 — Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmed said yesterday that the media had exaggerated the case of Saudi blogger Fouad Al-Farhan, adding that he was arrested for mistakes he had committed.
“The issue (of Al-Farhan) was not that important as it represented the mistake committed by a person on himself. A man who commits a mistake should bear its result,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the prince as saying.
Prince Ahmed did not confirm whether Al-Farhan had been released after his arrest four months ago. However, Al-Farhan’s wife told Arab News on Saturday that he had been released from Jeddah’s Dahban Prison. Al-Farhan was detained on Dec. 10 for violating the Kingdom’s regulations, an official statement said but no charges were pressed against him.
Prince Ahmed also opposed criticizing an unnamed expatriate community, thought to be Bangladeshis, for most crimes in the country. “This issue is also overblown as it is difficult to determine whether crimes would increase with the increase in the number of a particular foreign nationality.”
He, however, said the government could stop the recruitment of a particular nationality if there were concerns about them.
The minister also emphasized the Kingdom’s efforts to prevent Saudis from sneaking into Iraq to join fighters inside the war-torn country.
“Some Saudis have been lured into Iraq thinking it would be beneficial for the Iraqi people but actually it does not benefit the Iraqis... We have to help them establish peace and stability in their country,” he said.
