This is now news, because the Saudis want or need to show the world that they are "fighting terroism." The heat has gotten too much, and so they are going to cut off a few heads and hope the world looks elsewhere.
I think that a big central point for terrorist and "axis of evil" money is Saudi oil money. I think that the Saudi's have been buying government officals right and left and that supporting terrorism has been a semi=un-official part of the Sauid foreign policy for years.
Once upon a time they may have been afraid of being invaded by the oil consuming nations and wanted the terrorist to retaliate for such an invasion, but things have gotten way out of hand.
It would be interesting to historically look back on the start of the Gulf War to see exactly what may have sparked Irans march into Kuawat and toward Saudi Arabia and why the Saudi's were so scared they called in the US. Did they buy some folks and make Sadam angry? Did they refuse to deliver on a deal they promise? Inquiring minds would like to know.
Two, as far as the Saudis supporting terorism, it is not the Saudi's per se' it is a Sunni muslim thing. (there are basically 2 types Sunni and Shi'i) The Sunnis are the problem. Iraq probably specifically recruits Saudi symps, Because that is where we need to be to strike Iraq. So to cause us to cast an eye on Saudi Arabia, furthers Husseins interests.
By using mostly Saudis and some Egyptians as his terrorists, he hoped to turn America against SA which would weaken the US economy, destabilize the arab region and deprive us of a necessary ally in the middle east.
It can't be just a coinsidence that the entire left-wing media (and lots of conservatives) has been smearing and bashing the Saudis fulltime for the past six months.