FBI suspects al-Qa'eda link to Saudi royals

The Daily Telegraph ^ | November 25, 2002 | Toby Harnden and Jack Fairweather

[MadIvan]

The FBI is investigating whether the Saudi royal family gave funds to two of the al-Qa'eda terrorists who attacked the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

Princess Haifa al-Faisal, daughter of the late King Faisal and wife of Prince Bandar, Saudi ambassador to Washington and a friend of the Bush family, sent tens of thousands of dollars to a family linked to a man helping the two hijackers establish themselves in America.

The money, on a list of charitable donations by the princess, is thought to have ended up in the hands of Khalid al-Mindhar and Nawaf al-Hamzi, two of the five al-Qa'eda members who hijacked American Airlines Flight 77.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers on September 11 were Saudis, but the Bush administration, which relies on Saudi oil and hopes to use Saudi bases to launch a war against Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, has sought to play down Saudi Arabia's links to terrorism.

Proof of September 11 terrorists being funded by the Saudi royal family would boost a £10 trillion legal case brought by 3,000 relatives of victims of the attacks. The lawsuit has strained relations between Washington and Riyadh.

Legal papers filed in August allege that 186 defendants, including foreign banks, Islamic foundations and members of the House of Saud, knowingly aided al-Qa'eda terrorists.

The White House said there was no evidence that Princess Haifa knew the eventual destination of the money, paid in monthly instalments in 2000 to the family of Osama Bassnan, a Saudi citizen whose friend Omar al-Bayoumi helped the hijackers.

Bayoumi was enrolled in a graduate business course at Aston University in Birmingham. He was arrested in Britain after September 11 and records of telephone calls to diplomats at the Saudi embassy in Washington were found, but he was released without charge after a week.

He was charged with visa fraud in America, but this is not an extraditable offence and he is thought to have returned to Saudi Arabia.

"While you have an ongoing investigation, it's important not to rush to judgment," said Sean McCormack, the US National Security Council spokesman. "They [the FBI] have in fact received some co-operation from the Saudis on this investigation."

Adel al-Jubeir, foreign policy adviser to Crown Prince Abdullah, de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, said the notion that the princess had aided terrorists was "crazy".

Saudi Arabia "will be merciless against people in the war on terrorism", he said, adding: "Princess Haifa is a very generous woman . . . she donates large amounts of money to charities." The money was said to have been given to the Bassnan family to help pay medical costs.

There have been persistent allegations in Washington that Saudi Arabia helps to foster extreme Islamic fundamentalism. "The Saudi royal family has been engaged in a Faustian bargain for years to keep themselves in power," said Senator John McCain yesterday.

The cheques to Osama Bassnan and his wife were issued from the princess's account at Riggs Bank in Washington. The couple were deported to Saudi Arabia and Jordan respectively recently for visa violations.

• A sixth Briton has been arrested in Saudi Arabia over a bombing campaign against westerners, which the authorities claim is a turf war in the illegal alcohol trade. A more likely explanation for the blasts is a campaign by Islamists sympathetic to Osama bin Laden. The BBC named the man held as Glen Panard, a businessman, but the Foreign Office said only that a Briton had been arrested and there was "deep concern" for him. Other Britons held have reported torture and severe conditions.

[MadIvan]

Anyone care to still say the Saudis are our friends? Bueller? Bueller?

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[Sparta]

I'm really shocked!(sarcasm)

[veronica]

SHOCKING!

(Not)

[gcruse]

                  How long can we keep it up?

[Cicero]

It's been obvious since a week or two after 9/11 that they are not our friends. Unlike Pakistan, they have not cooperated with us, and if anyone thinks they will come up with a full report on the Princess's expenditures, I have a bridge to sell them.

I doubt whether Bush really expects the Saudis to help against Iraq much if at all. It's just a good excuse to keep talking and to keep acting as if we need something from them--which we don't. But it's too soon for an open break.

[Moonmad27]

I agree with you. I believe GWB knows that the Saudis are more involved than has been let on, and I have faith he'll handle this problem well too (glad it came out after the elections or the Dems would have made a huge deal out of it). It's the same thing with the White House's "islam is peace" pronouncements - they know the whole war is really a clash of cultures, Islam versus everyone else, but it really isn't "politically correct" in the true sense of the word to say it out loud.

[Amelia]

For most of us, the reaction is "D'OH!" but either the administration hasn't caught on yet, or they have reasons for not admitting it until now....

[RightWhale]

They aren't friends of the West, but they have so much money sloshing around, all of it new money since they began exporting oil in a big way in the 50s, they can't keep track of where it all goes. It happens to a lot of newly rich people who donate to causes.

[Senator_Palpatine]

"WIPE THEM OUT ALL OF THEM"

[Republic]

I am thinking that having the warning issue from Putin's mouth-was a little beyond brilliant. The middle east is in deep, deep 'doo-doo'. It was probably bad enough being blackmailed and extorted by the radical islamists, now these rich oil shieks (shakes, sheeks, shams) turn around and find themselves looking down the barrel of world awareness of their treachery. Verbally delivered by Putin standing beside the President of the United States. Not fun.

[recalcitrant]

"I sent money to a man named 'osami,' but had NO IDEA HE MIGHT BE a TERRORIST."
---Is this plausible?

[recalcitrant]

it's too soon for an open break.

--- why?

[recalcitrant]

hope you are right.
I doubt it though.

Bush and Bowell seem to be pretty cozy with these folks.
I hope it's an act.

[Stefan Stackhouse]

Wouldn't it be interesting if sometime in the next couple of years the Saudis took delivery on some U.S. military equipment that proved to be "defective"? Rockets that had the nasty habit of boomeranging back toward their launchers, or maybe veering off-course toward important Saudi Royal Family residences, for example?

[Republic]

Consider that none of us know what President Bush and Colin Powell know. If they are staying patient, good. Saudi's need us more than we need them.

Sometimes you let those who know they are deserving of consequence, stew. It gives them important time to save face.

Knowing they are watching events unfold around them with the unhappy knowledge that they, themselves, belong on the dreaded 'axis' list and wondering, exactly, how much is known by the major powers intent on snuffing out terrorism.

Perhaps the difference between an axis member and another state, bordering on inclusion into this nasty club is simply-some states actually LIKE terrorism while others hate it, but have woven a web of tolerance due to security fears. Saudi has made moves to circumvent terror-at the same time-they know what they have done to aid the same in the past, and woe to them if they are doing it now.

[Rockitz]

Bump! You get it.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Adel al-Jubeir, foreign policy adviser to Crown Prince Abdullah, de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, said the notion that the princess had aided terrorists was "crazy". Saudi Arabia "will be merciless against people in the war on terrorism", he said...

...unless they happen to be connected to the royal family.

We shouild inform our "friends", the Saudis, that unless they reign in their Wahabbi fanatics, we will conquer their pissant country and use their oil revenues to exterminate the islamist vermin from the face of the earth.

[marshmallow]

Personally, I believe that Saudi Arabia is far more of a pressing issue than Iraq. Our problem is Islamic fundamentalism, not the secular lunacy of Saddamism. Sure he's a tyrant and loose cannon but the theologicalal and moral impetus for groups like al-Qaeda comes principally from places like Saudi.

As Putin pointed out last week, 15 of the 19 highjackers were from this country, it is the spiritual focus of Islam through Mecca and Medina and it is very hostile to openly practising Christians. Now comes the money trail.

The Saudis are villains but they also hold our economy by the throat. If Putin would agree to flick OPEC the bird and supply us with oil, we could teach the Saudis and the bin Laden family a lesson they would long remember.

[Vermont Lt]

What was it Hannibal Lecter said in Silence of the Lambs?

"All good things to those who wait....."

Why is everyone in such rush to go after all of them, when it will be much more effective, and less costly to take them out one at a time.

We didnt attack everywhere at once in WWII, why should we now? One step at a time. Some steps you see, others you don't.