House of Saud in 'panic' over al-Qaida

WorldNetDaily.Com ^ | Posted: December 6, 2003 1:00 a.m. Eastern | © 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

[Bobby777]

Al-Qaida has launched a campaign designed to undermine the security and finances of the Saudi royal family.

Western intelligence sources said the latest al-Qaida attacks indicate a campaign is underway to isolate the Saudi royal family and threaten its financial base. The campaign is based on intimidating leading Arab and Western advisers from remaining in the kingdom.

The Nov. 9 attack on the Muhaya compound appeared to signal a shift in al-Qaida strategy. Until then, the sources said, al-Qaida targeted Western nationals in the kingdom who were not considered crucial to the regime's survival.

But in the Muhaya suicide car bombing, the target was a compound that housed Lebanese financial advisers to the royal family.

The sources said the Muhaya compound included bankers and smugglers who facilitated earnings of billions of dollars in undeclared revenue.

"The royal family is in a panic and now believes al-Qaida is playing for keeps," a senior Western intelligence source said. "Without its financial advisers, the family is completely exposed."

Al-Qaida has sown panic throughout the kingdom's security forces by demonstrating it can penetrate military and other facilities with ease. British and U.S. advisers have been of little use, the sources said, because the Saudi royal family does not want to disclose information that would demonstrate the extent of al-Qaida's influence in the country.

On Nov. 22, a fire was reported in the Riyad Armed Forces hospital. The fire destroyed several rooms and caused security forces to be placed on alert throughout the region. Several foreign nurses were injured.

"This is a deliberate campaign that seeks to increase the pressure on the royal family by telling them they aren't safe anywhere, even within their own military," another Western intelligence analyst said. "This has sparked a debate over how to reconcile with al-Qaida and end this war."

On Dec. 1, Saudi Arabia provided the first official details of the Nov. 9 bombing at the Muhaya compound. Al-Qaida had smuggled in explosives from Yemen to Saudi Arabia. In late November, Saudi authorities found an additional 1.2 tons of explosives believed to have been smuggled in from Yemen.

An interior ministry statement said that in the Nov. 9 attack, al-Qaida insurgents approached the Muhaya compound while firing rifles and hurling grenades toward the gate. While the firefight was taking place, a jeep painted with the insignia of security forces and packed with 300 kilograms explosives drove into the compound.

"Then it was blown up in a suicide operation," the statement said. "Investigators have found out who is behind this operation and measures are still being taken. Security forces are still chasing the perpetrators and, God willing, they will be found and brought to justice."

In Sanaa, meanwhile, Yemeni security forces arrested a senior al-Qaida leader, Mohammed Hamdi Al Ahdal, suspected of masterminding the suicide bombing of the USS Cole.

In 1999 Al Ahdal was arrested in Saudi Arabia and spent 14 months in prison for his ties to Saudi billionaire bomber Osama bin Laden. He was then deported to Yemen.

[endthematrix]

Great info. I dont think I will be traveling there anyway, thank you. Here's a good Frontline interview regarding The Rise, Corruption, and Coming Fall of the House of Saud

[Bobby777]

yeah, my thoughts too ... can't really just drop by and pick 'em up ... we'd have about as much luck as with China ...

as most know, here is the bin Laden's family largest project ...

[ASA Vet]

How about just using the well established EOD technique of "destruction in place"?

[Cronos]

The problem with your statement is that there are NO 'forces of civilisation' in Saudi A -- botht he Saud family and the alQ are pretty much similar in their view of how Saudi A should be -- with the difference that OBL wants to be Emir while hte Saudis, anturally wnat one of their own. The war would be a war between rival dynasties and the military may not want to die to keep the greedy saud family in power.

[FormerACLUmember]

I track this situation very carefully, and the Saudi Royal Family will obviously (in my analysis) going to be completely toppled in "Saudi" Arabia. I say this with no ill will toward the Saudis.

It is just that they the Royal family is truly reaping what it has sown. It created the the most extreme form of Islam, permitted anti-Western propaganda, and heavily funded al Queda.

When the rampaging mobs are finished, there may not be any Saudis alive in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudis still have a chance, but I fear they are too blind to see what must be done.

[Travis McGee]

Are you suggesting a military invasion to invade Pakistan? Perhaps drop the 82nd Abn over the location where we think the nukes are stored? Don't you think maybe we are stretched a tad thin already, without invading Pakistan?

[ASA Vet]

OBL wants

The dead don't have wants.

[Travis McGee]

You are suggesting that out of the clear blue sky we preemptively nuke the sites in Pakistan where we *think* they are storing their nukes? Really?

[Bobby777]

I pretty much agree with your analysis ...

[ASA Vet]

out of the clear blue sky

No, out of the deep blue sea would require less flight time.

[endthematrix]

I think you're on to something here....WMD in the (possible) hands of those who wish to do the ultimate against America and how to deal with it? Do you think the RATS will formulate a plan of action for the '04 election debates?

[Cronos]

Yup, we are stretched thin, but I think those nukes pose a much more clear and present danger than even North Korea and more than Iraq. Why? North Korea will lob missiles at S Korea, Japan but then they'd have to face up to big bro china. Iraq was making WMD but didn't have them completely in place -- that's what we stopped. Pakistan HAS nukes, it HAS islamic terror groups in training, it HAS a military regime that may fall and it HAS chemical etc. weapons. The chances of these nukes falling into terrorist hands and those terrorist groups using them against US is very very high.

This is an immediate need. We may be stretched but unless we secure those nukes we will NOT be safe.

I dont' propose a liberation -- I just say we invade, take the nukes and leave the hell behind. Let the Indians and the Iranis clear up that mess, they'll get the Afghanis who have a massive grudge agaisnt hte Pakis for causing their sufferign in the 90s by supporting the Taliban, to help them.

[endthematrix]

Where will they (SAUD) go? You bet! The very best the USA has to offer. A nice comfy couch to ride out the revolution. Of course all those assets will be protected.

It's a fact the ADMINISTRATION won't let that house fall.

[Cronos]

It's not what we THINK. WE've got agents all over that place and the Indians have a rpetty darn good idea where those weapons are -- most likely near the city of Quetta -- far from indian artillery and far from the Idnus valley high density areas. we KNOW where they are, the CIA ain't dumb. The Indian agency RAW and the MOSSAD have been collaborating for some time now, so between them they must know where every nuke is. They justwant us to go in an eliminate them

[Cronos]

Exactly -- WMD in the hands of Islamics is madness. WMD in the hands of a military regime is dangerous. WMD in the hands of a Islamic fascist regime (note Mushie ain't quite the loonie islamic fundie but hie army is heavily infiltrated with Islamic fundamentalists -- that was hte policy of hte former Presidente for life: Zia Huqq)is...... well, you get the picture.

The RATS would be stupid to attack Dubya on this issue because the Pakis got the nukes from China when Clinton decided to turn a blind eye. The Chinese gave Pakis nukes which had been developed using information stolen from us during Clinton's watch. In short, the Pakis are using nukes copied from American designs with design specs in Chinese. This is Clinton's problem and the dims will conveniently forget that, just like they forget that Clinton's lax policies led to 9/11 and his bubble economy caused the recession.

[Joe Boucher]

What really is funny is that as a percentage the europeans get a higher percentage of their oil from saudi arabia then does the U.S.
If the house of saud falls and the oil industry there gets under control of the fanatics then the euros will feel the pinch far worse then we do.
I personally would like to see all the little punk princes get decapitated in a mass beheading.

[endthematrix]

"the CIA ain't dumb."

They and General Musharraf have been working together to make sure nothing falls into the wrong hands. Remember all those ISI removals?

Don't think we haven't floated the bunker busting scenarios over Pakistan or for that mater India and N. Korea. Thats what those small nukes are for. You paid for them with your tax dollars, fail to act and you may pay with you life!

[Joe Boucher]

Maybe you have forgotten that the corrupt rulers of saudi arabia threw out the American troops and our presence there is nil.
Kinda hard to prop up this scandelous regeim with no troops.
Also I find it hard to think the troops would care to risk their lives to prop up these a holes..

[Cronos]

Fall in the wrong hands??? How come this didn't stop much from helping hte North Koreans with nukes? The slammies have infiltrated the paki army so much you could say they've ALREADY fallen into the wrong hands, the pakis just a bit cautious to not let the blame fall on them

[endthematrix]

That pinch in the US, IMO, would be a crushing blow. Oil is an international commodity. That and the fact a HUGE piece of real estate under control of AQ.