Muslim Leader, Agent Tell of Saudi Plot

Associated Press ^ | 6/10/04 | CURT ANDERSON

[TexKat]

WASHINGTON - A jailed American Muslim leader and a Libyan intelligence agent have told U.S. and Saudi authorities they were involved in a Libyan plot to assassinate the ruler of Saudi Arabia, U.S. officials said Thursday.

The allegations are viewed as credible by U.S. authorities but investigators still are trying to determine if the plot was real and, if so, how far it advanced and whether Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi was involved, according to two U.S. government officials. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case.

The alleged plot against Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah was revealed separately by Abduraham Alamoudi, an American Muslim leader jailed in Alexandria, Va., on federal charges of having illegal financial dealings with Libya; and by Col. Mohamed Ismael, a Libyan intelligence officer currently in Saudi custody.

Alamoudi, the former head of the American Muslim Council, has said that he met twice with Gadhafi in June and August of 2003 to discuss the plot, U.S. officials say. If true, that would be the same time Gadhafi was renouncing terrorism and negotiating the lifting of international sanctions.

In Tripoli, Libyan foreign minister Abdel-Rahman Shalqam denied the allegations.

"We were surprised by this (report) and we deny it completely and categorically," he told reporters Thursday.

A call to the Saudi embassy in Washington was not immediately returned.

Relations between Libya and Saudi Arabia, tense for years, reached a low in March 2003 when Gadhafi and Abdullah traded insults in a live broadcast of the Arab summit.

Gadhafi told the summit that he talked to King Fahd about the presence of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait and quoted the king as telling him that his country was threatened and that he was ready to "cooperate with the devil to protect it."

Abdullah, infuriated by the comments, accused Gadhafi of being an agent of colonialism and said he was bought to power by the United States.

According to U.S. officials, Alamoudi and Ismael have provided U.S. and Saudi investigators with detailed information about the alleged plot to assassinate Abdullah to destabilize the Saudi government, which has been beset in recent months by a series of deadly terrorist attacks by al-Qaida and other Islamic fundamentalists.

President Bush has been briefed on the matter, which is being handled by the FBI, CIA, State Department and other U.S. agencies, officials said. Existence of the alleged plot was first reported Thursday by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

The accusations come at a sensitive time for Libya, which in December agreed to dismantle its biological, chemical and nuclear weapons programs. The United States in February lifted a ban on use of U.S. passports to travel to Libya and took steps in April to restore trade and investment ties with Gadhafi's regime.

But the United States continues to list Libya as a state sponsor of terrorism and the alleged assassination plot, if true, could have a huge impact on Libya's efforts to achieve more normal relations with the United States.

"We are very much aware of the Libya's past involvement in terrorism. Gadhafi has pledged to end Libya's ties with terrorism, and cooperate with us and our allies in the war on terrorism," said White House spokesman Sean McCormack. "We continue to monitor closely Libya's adherence to this pledge."

Alamoudi's statements were made during plea negotiations with federal prosecutors, who could recommend a lighter sentence if he is cooperative.

Ismael, the Libyan intelligence officer, has given similar statements to Saudi investigators. The FBI is working to arrange an interview with Ismael and others who may have knowledge of the plot, one official said.

Alamoudi, who is being held without bond, has pleaded innocent to charges that he illegally attempted to funnel Libyan money to the United States. Prosecutors have also portrayed him in court papers as a supporter of the al-Qaida and Hamas terror groups, which Alamoudi has denied.

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Associated Press writer Katherine Pfleger Shrader contributed to this story.

[Gator113]

I wonder if they used our Top Secret "panties on the head" technique to get him to talk!!?? I swear, it works!!! Heck, if my Bride were to catch me wearing panties on my head, I would confess to anything!! LOL

[TexKat]

Libya's Foreign Minister Abdel-Rahman Shalqam, talks during a news conference in Tripoli Thursday, June 10, 2004. Shalqam denies a New York Times report that Libyan intelligence chief ordered a covert operation to assassinate the Saudi Arabia ruler. (AP Photo/Yousef Al-Ageli)

[Valin]

Libya's Foreign Minister Abdel-Rahman Shalqam, talks during a news conference in Tripoli Thursday, June 10, 2004. Shalqam denies a New York Times report that Libyan intelligence chief ordered a covert operation to assassinate the Saudi Arabia ruler.

I've just checked with the easter bunny, and him and santa claus say Libya had nothing to do with it. So I believe Abdel is telling the truth.