Riyadh frees six al-Qaeda suspects extradited by Iran

Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet) ^

[RCW2001]

RIYADH, Sept 11 (AFP) - Saudi Arabia has already released six of 14 al-Qaeda suspects extradited to Riyadh by Iran, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz said in remarks published Wednesday.

"We received only 14 men from Iran (not 16). After investigation, we freed six of them and the rest are being interrogated," Prince Nayef told the London-based Saudi-owned Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper on the eve of the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the United States by al-Qaeda.

"We have seen no evidence that they have links to the al-Qaeda network. Iran also extradited three women and six children, all of whom were sent to their families immediately," he said.

Iran announced in August it had extradited 16 Saudis suspected of links to al-Qaeda after they arrived from Afghanistan.

Yemen also recently extradited to Saudi Arabia a "number of Saudis" wanted in several security cases, Prince Nayef added. "We will announce the details about them at the appropriate time," he said.

Preliminary investigations into Saudi citizen Saud al-Rasheed, who was listed as a dangerous and armed al-Qaeda suspect by the FBI last month, had revealed he has no links to the hijackers who carried out the suicide hijackings in the United States.

"Interrogations show he returned from Afghanistan before the (September) attacks, and media reports about him are baseless. His case has been inflated, " Prince Nayef said.

Saud's father, Abdul Aziz al-Rasheed, told AFP Monday he expected his 22-year-old son to be released soon because there was no evidence against him.

There are 127 Saudi prisoners at the US Guantanamo detention center in Cuba and a Saudi team was sent to investigate their conditions, said Prince Nayef, but he declined to provide further details.

Saudi charity organizations have no links to terrorism, he said, adding, "we are certain of this fact." He also denied any Saudi role in spreading terrorism through backing religious schools.

Officials say no one has been caught in Saudi Arabia and found to have direct links with Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda, although 15 of the 19 hijackers hailed from the kingdom.

[KC_Conspirator]

Let me be the first to say it:

Our Friends the Saudi's..

[sheik yerbouty]

"I'm shocked! Shocked, I tell you!"

[COBOL2Java]

Hey, as long as the Royal Family continues to get a fresh supply of blonde bimbo infidels and can party hearty in Vegas and the Riviera, what's a terrorist or two between friends? < /sarcasm off >

[swarthyguy]

Saudi charity organizations have no links to terrorism, he said, adding, "we are certain of this fact." He also denied any Saudi role in spreading terrorism through backing religious schools.

Gag.

[Drknows]

On our way to Irak next week, let's drop a few Daisy Cutters on this liar and his Saudi royal family. Just to have the pleasure to later deny we did it. And have our boys glass Mecca on the way back. They wanted their Jihad, let them have it all.

[Robert357]

Officials say no one has been caught in Saudi Arabia and found to have direct links with Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda, although 15 of the 19 hijackers hailed from the kingdom.

I am also sure that if we turned over the 100 plus Saudi nationals we are holding in Cuba, that the Sauid's would conclude after proper investigation that none were connected to Al-Qaeda. By definition the Saudi government refuses to acknowledge the breadth of terrorists being protected by their own government and with ties to prominent families within the Country.

As GW said early on, you either are against terrorism or we will view you as supporting terrorism.

I think it has been made very clear that the Saudi Government and people support terrorism. Once Iraq and Iran are taken care of, I hope Saudi Arabia is next in the gun sights of our military.