Saudi gave money to JI for explosives, expert says (Bali Bombing)

Reuters ^ | 10-16-02

[veronica]

SINGAPORE, Oct 16 (Reuters) - An unidentified Saudi supplied funds to the Indonesian-based Jemaah Islamiah network to buy explosives that may have been used in the Bali bombing, an authority on Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda said on Wednesday.

The information on the Saudi funding was gathered in U.S. interrogations of Omar al-Faruq, a Kuwaiti linked to al Qaeda who was arrested in Indonesia last June and later handed over to U.S. authorities in Afghanistan, said Rohan Gunaratna, author of the book "Inside Al Qaeda: Global Network of Terror".

The money was sent to Jemaah Islamiah earlier this year, said Gunaratna, who has seen the U.S. interrogation papers. The amount sent by the Saudi donor was $74,000, the Financial Times said.

Gunaratna said the explosives were bought from Indonesian army officers who sold the material illegally.

In Bali, police chief Budi Setyawan would neither confirm nor deny a Washington Post story that a former member of the Indonesian air force had confessed to building the bombs that killed 181 people, mostly foreign travellers, on Saturday.

Asked about the story at a news conference, he said: "Later that information will be developed. I will give that to investigators."

Jemaah Islamiah, which has links to al Qaeda, is a prime suspect behind the blasts in a strip of bars and clubs packed with foreign travellers on Bali's Kuta Beach on Saturday night.

Gunaratna said the explosives obtained from the military could have been used in the Bali bombings.

Initial indications have reportedly shown traces at the site of the military explosive C4, the same material used in the al Qaeda-linked bombing of the USS Cole in the port of Aden in Yemen two years to the day before the Bali attack.

Gunaratna said the explosives bought by Jemaah Islamiah were shipped to the Indonesian island of Ambon, the site of numerous bloody attacks between Christians and Muslims in recent years, and divided among different Islamist groups.

In a sign militant Islamic groups may be on the defensive, the Laskar Jihad, a group whose fighters have battled Christians in the Molucca islands -- of which Ambon is one of the largest -- said on Tuesday it had disbanded and would withdraw its combatants.

[Angelus Errare]

My money's on Mohammed Jamal Khalifa, bin Laden's brother-in-law. He bankrolled Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front during his time in the Philippines.

[swarthyguy]

Shocked!

[John_11_25]

Veronica, So who is the Saudi. If he saw the interogation papers with the quote of $74,000 then they must surley have the name of the Saudi involved in sending the money.

Other wise its propaganda to damage the Saudi's. If its true name the man, provide the evidence and ask for extradition.

Send him for Trial, if found guilty, sentance him to Death.

We do not need propaganda, either they have evidence or not.

People are so confused in the world now, with claim and counter claim, it is driving the world mad.

[ReadMyMind]

SINGAPORE, Oct 16 (Reuters) - An unidentified US Citizen filled his gas tank in Cincinnati Ohio. The money was funneled through Houston Texas via a series of Shell corporations to the Netherlands. From there it was traced eventually to: An unidentified Saudi who supplied funds to the Indonesian-based Jemaah Islamiah network to buy explosives that may have been used in the Bali bombing, an authority on Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda said on Wednesday.

---

Ok, So I made it up...but it is worth thinking about next time you gas up. The Saudis wouldn't have any money to fund terrorists if we didn't give it to them.

[joesnuffy]

From Reuters?...

[Thoro]

Shocked!

Just repeat after me:

Islam is a religion of peace, and the Saudis are our friends.

It's true, you know. No, really, it's true. Really! Hey! Hey, where are you going?!

[swarthyguy]

I don't think we need propaganda to blame or besmirch the Saudis.

They are the Prime Enemy. Double dealing double talking weasels (sorry, critters, i know you're not one-trillionth as bad as the saudis) who have got their hooks into the US Govt big time; look at their lobby -- Pappa Bush, Scowcroft, Eagleburger, all the ex-ambassadors with their snouts in the Saudi money trough.

[swarthyguy]

I'm off to see the Wizard,
The wonderful wizard of Saud.

[eno_]

Well, well, well. Well, well, well, well, well. Our solid allies. Who'd a thunk it?

[Deb]

"...battled Christians"

Ha! If you consider butchering and beheading unarmed missionaries, church members and innocent villagers a battle.

I love the way this article makes it look like the Muslims and Christians were at war with each other, instead of the truth, which is that two years ago the Muslims openly declared war the Christians and vowed to kill every one of them on every island.

[weikel]

Uh oh singing and sorcery that'll get you beheaded in the *sarcasm* peaceful Wahabbi kingdom /*sarcasm off*.

[weikel]

3 billion for Pakistani madrassas under the sky
7 billion for Wahabbi mosques of stone
900 million for suicide bombers doomed to die
and 1 billion for Bin Laden and his dark cave throne
In the land of Saudi where the Shadows lie

Somebody ping the poetry branch.

[weikel]

1 oil source to rule them all
1 oil source to blind them
1 oil source to blackmail them all
And in Wahabbi Islam bind them
In the land of Saudi where the Shadows Lie

[DBtoo]

I agree, I have always thought the Saudis were the main bad guys in all this. Plus they aren't very nice people (sorry for the un-PC stereotype).

[swarthyguy]

No they are arrogant pucks. At least Guiliani showed up one of them.

[aristeides]

The Saudis may have supplied the money, but who supplied the C4? Hmmm, who could have supplied C4 to both the Bali bombers and the Cole bombers? Could it have been Iraq?

[swarthyguy]

Just like in Pakistan Kashmir; the Sufi shrines and practices like singing have been cleansed; shias have been massacred and areas made safe for the wackywahahahabis.