Posted on 04/28/2007 2:21:06 AM PDT by jdm
RIYADH (Reuters) - The arrest of 172 suspected militants did not end the al Qaeda-linked threat in Saudi Arabia, the interior minister was quoted as saying on Saturday, vowing to maintain a crack down on the group.Prince Nayef also told the Arabic-language al-Riyadh daily that a Saudi man was being held on suspicion of leading one of the seven cells which had been smashed, foiling a plot to attack oil facilities and military bases.
"We cannot say that we are finished from these deviants," said Prince Nayef. "But efforts will continue. The eyes ... are wide open and efforts are under way to purify our country from every evil," he added.
The Interior Ministry said on Friday it foiled an al Qaeda-linked plot to attack oil facilities, military bases and public figures in western-allied Saudi Arabia, arresting a total of 172 people, including some who had trained to use aircraft for suicide attacks.
It said police also seized weapons, computers and more than 20 million riyals ($5 million) in cash.
Islamist militants swearing allegiance to al Qaeda launched a violent campaign to topple the U.S.-allied Saudi monarchy in 2003, carrying out suicide bomb attacks on foreigners and government installations, including the oil industry.
Saudi Arabia is the world's top oil exporter, supplying about 7 million barrels a day to world markets. It holds nearly a quarter of the world's oil reserves.
Most of the 19 al Qaeda militants who commandeered hijacked planes in the September 11 attack on the United States were Saudis.
Prince Nayef said Riyadh was also holding a Saudi man believed to be the leader of one of the broken cells, after members swore allegiance to him at the Kaaba, a sacred site inside the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Islam's holiest city.
"Unfortunately, he is a Saudi. He was arrested along with the group," he said, without giving further details.
Asked if the man was the leader of the group, he said: "If this man looks at himself as such, we are not sure. But no one pledges allegiance to someone unless he himself has presented himself as a leader and has followers."
SA can yank guns out of the sand and get a $2/bbl boost in oil prices this week. Not bad. Nigeria can kidnap some Chinese oil workers and get a boost in oil prices. Chavez can threaten to nationalize Exxon Mobil and get a boost in oil prices. And VA is whining that Congress might let some oil start flowing from its coastal waters, following the enviro-nazi lead of CA and FL in limiting the supply for the US. Every time you put that $4/gal. gas in your car this summer, remember who is to blame for your pain.
If TX, LA and AK would control their oil production this way, we might get that $100/bbl that Ross Perot’s been predicting since Katrina.
You are right! Having attacked and limited both nuke power and oil, the enviros are making an assault on coal. but they will attack any power source.
Good news from SA or Iraq will be met with the usual cynicism. Killing or capturing terrorists is always a good thing.
Pray for W and Our Troops
The AQ threat in Saudi Arabia won’t end, until Saudi Arabia stops financing and supporting the most virulent strain of Islam — Wahhabism. A sect of Islam founded in Arabia in the 18th century by Muhammad ibn-Abdul Wahhab and revived by ibn-Saud in the 20th century...
Perhaps the only way to finally and totally end the threat is to lay Saudi Arabia and a few other Islamist Republics to waste.
That is how we dealt with the “threats” in our two last successful defenses of the Free World.
Nearly all the “compassionate” and “political” military actions since then have been abject failures or misdirected...
Korea, Vietnam, Somalia, Beirut, Kosovo, Haiti, etc, etc... -— and the “jury” is still out on Afghanistan and Iraq..
It appears the Democrats are once again preparing to “pull a Vietnam” and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in Iraq.
Those of us who early on, smelled the betrayal of our military forces in Iraq and warned of another Vietnam — Promise not to say “We told you so”...
Ah hell — forget the promise — WE TOLD YOU SO....
Semper Fi
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.