January 23, 2004

PRINCE NAIF IBN ABDUL AZIZ: FACING TERRORISM SHOULD NOT BE RESTRICTED TO SECURITY CONFRONTATION BUT SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON THE ELIMINATION OF ITS SOURCES AND RAISING THE CITIZENS' AWARNESS. NO DIALOGUE WITH THE DEVIANTS AND IT IS NOT IN THE INTEREST OF SOME PEOPLE TO DOUBT THE STABILITY OF SAUDI ARABIA. THE ARAB MINISTERS OF INTERIOR DECLARE THAT IT IS A CRIME TO HOLD, PRINT OR SPREAD DOCUMENTS PROMOTING TERRORIST ACTS. THE NAIF ACADEMY FOR SECURITY SCIENCES BECOMES A UNIVERSITY. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of the Interior and Honorary President of Arab Interior Ministers' Council, lauded the results achieved by the Arab Interior Ministers' Council which concluded their session in Tunisia. In press statements following the final session, Prince Naif Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz described the session as successful and said the ministers had identical stands and views. Prince Naif stressed the Council's stand on fighting terrorism and called for international action under the umbrella of the United Nations to confront terrorism. Concerning the transfer of Arab Naif Academy for Security Sciences to a university, Prince Naif lauded the university's work in the field of security research. On another issue, Prince Naif reiterated that the security situation in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is reassuring and life is normal. Arab interior ministers concluded the 21st session of the Arab Interior Ministers' Council. The Saudi delegation to the meetings was led by Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister and Honorary President of Arab Interior Ministers' Council. At the conclusion of the session, a number of Arab ministers delivered speeches expressing satisfaction over the results realized by the council to boost joint Arab security cooperation. In a final statement, the Council's General Secretariat said that the council approved the third phase of the implementation of the Arab strategy for combating terrorism which included a number of programs that should be carried out by the Secretariat and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences which is considered the council's scientific body. The Academy's name was changed to a university following its remarkable developments that made it outmatch many Arab universities. In the field of combating terrorism, the Council approved some amendments to the Arab Agreement for Combating terrorism. The amendments included the incrimination of instigating terrorist crimes, their encouragement or any publications promoting them. Strengthening cooperation, the ministers made amendments to the charter on fighting terrorism, declaring that it is a crime to hold, print or spread documents promoting terrorist acts. The Council also approved the 4th phased-plan to implement the Arab strategy for combating illicit use of drugs and psychotropic substances, stressing the enhancement of efforts exerted to combat money laundering. The Council emphasized the importance of continual cooperation with the councils of Arab Justice and Information Ministers. The Council renewed its strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and sources, affirming the necessity of differentiating between terrorism and the peoples' rights to resisting occupation and foreign aggression. Resisting foreign occupation cannot be considered terrorism, the Arab Interior Ministers agreed. In the final declaration, the group of Interior Ministers from the Arab League said they strongly condemned terrorism in any form. However, they stressed "the need to make a distinction between terrorism and peoples' right to fight occupation and foreign aggression." The Council absolutely rejected the attempt of attributing the charge of terrorism to Arabs and Muslims, stressing its support for the efforts aiming at holding an international conference under the auspices of the United Nations to discuss the phenomenon of terrorism and identify its concept. The Council called on all public and private bodies and societies to unite for the prevention of this phenomenon. The Council renewed the appointment of its Secretary General Dr. Mohammed Ibn Ali Koman for another three years term. Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz called for a campaign throughout the Arab world to combat deviant ideas that breed terrorism. "We have to carry out a joint integrated campaign to ensure the security and stability of the Arab nation," he told a meeting of the Arab Interior Ministers' Council. Prince Naif, the Council's Honorary President, called "terrorist violence" the greatest threat to Arab security and said it must also be fought at the social level. "The renegades must be killed," Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz said adding, "This is the text of the Hadith... and we should face this matter sternly and with all our force." The meeting drew up guidelines for a document designed to rein in cross-border organized crime and terrorism and work on a draft law to counter cyber crime. The fight against drug and human trafficking was also on the interior ministers' two-day agenda. "The terror issue has priority" because of the serious consequences for "the security, stability and understanding in the world in general and in our Arab region in particular," said Tunisian President Zain Al-Abidine Ben Ali in an address read out by his Interior Minister Hadi Mehanni. "Tunisia condemns terrorist acts committed recently in some parts of the world as well as the perpetrators' contempt for noble human values," he added. Ben Ali said the terrorist attacks had caused "huge damage to Islam, our fine religion that is based on dialogue, fairness, moderation and tolerance." He called on Arab interior ministers to cooperate further so their countries can "meet the various challenges to their security and especially those linked to terrorism." Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, who is also the Honorary President of the Arab Interior Ministers Council said the Council is seeking the trust of Arab citizens as Arab security systems work to make the Arab Nation's citizen as the first security man and to interact with security situations of our countries". "This is because of the fact that the existing changes in the world necessitate us to achieve security for everyone who lives in the Arab countries," Prince Naif said in an arrival statement in Tunis. "All our meetings have been successful and promote interaction with the existing situation along with the growing cooperation among member states and security systems which are always on the track of progress," Prince Naif noted. Prince Naif said the Council's session would focus on the latest developments in the Arab region, notably the issue of "terrorism". He said this session would concentrate on two main important topics: some additions to the Arab Comprehensive Agreement for the elimination of terrorism and to what extent each Arab state has done towards this issue. In response to a question on Saudi Arabia's efforts in confronting terrorism, Prince Naif highlighted the efforts which have been exerted by security men in a way that everyone admires and lauds. "Thanks God, this leads us to say that security men are vigilant and efficient in meeting the security challenges," he added. "However, it is painful to have some of our sons as tools of terrorism but with joint efforts by our scholars, intellectuals and mass media, we can confront this matter and purify our Islamic and Arab thought from all blemishes," Prince Naif noted. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz urged the public to cooperate with security officers in their bid to combat terror and crime. "Citizens and residents in Arab countries should feel that their security and freedom are protected, which means we expect more active participation," he said. Prince Naif commended the efforts of Saudi security forces in fighting terror. Police in the Kingdom have foiled a number of terror attacks and arrested hundreds of terror suspects over the past months. He said terrorist organizations were recruiting young Saudis and other Arabs. "They use our children as tools for terrorism. This is truly painful," he said. However, the prince expressed optimism that joint efforts of the state, religious scholars, intellectuals and journalists would help Arab countries face down the threat. The security situation in Saudi Arabia is good and stable, Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz said, though he did not rule out the possibility of terrorist strikes. Yes, all of a sudden something could happen, he told reporters following the first session of the 21st Arab Interior Ministers Council that was held in Tunis. However, he said that the Saudi government and people were geared to contain such developments, SPA reported. He regretted that some media in the United States were averring that the situation in the Kingdom was not stable, adding that this big mistake is not even in the interest of the U.S. Whatever be the situation, we depend on our people, their solidarity, unity and loyalty to their leadership, he said. This is a fact in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is on the highest level of alert, care and caution with the advent of the Hajj season, he said. The government goes on high alert every Hajj season, he said, when some 2 million local and foreign pilgrims gather in the holy cities of Makkah and Al Madinah and Munawarrah and the ritual areas to perform religious rites. At the opening of the Arab Interior Ministers Council session earlier, that was graced by Tunisian President Zain Al-Abedine Bin Ali, Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz called for a dialogue by Arab intellectuals to bring about integrated and comprehensive social action to confront terrorist violence that has become one of the most dangerous threats to security in the Arab world. Tunisian President Zain Al-Abideen Ben Ali called on the Arab Interior ministers meeting for the 21st session of the Arab ‏ interior ministers' council to exert more efforts and cooperation to encounter ‏ ‏organized crime and terrorism.‏ ‏ Through an address read by out by the Tunisian Interior Minister Hedi Mhenni, the ‏Tunisian President said that the future of the world security relies on ‏ comprehensive dialogue among all cultures, civilizations and religions.‏ ‏ He said that Tunisia condemns terrorist acts committed recently in some ‏parts of the world as well as the perpetrators' contempt for noble human ‏values. ‏ ‏ "They have caused huge damage to Islam, our fine religion which is based on ‏ dialogue, fairness, moderation and tolerance," he added.‏ ‏ He also called on Arab interior ministers to further cooperate so that ‏ ‏their countries can "meet the various challenges to their security and ‏ ‏especially those linked to terrorism, within international law."‏ Prince Naif, who is the honorary president of the Council, warned that circumstances, changes, events and consequences have brought about a new dimension and new responsibilities in ensuring security in the Arab world. Prince Naif stressed that security in the Arab countries is a great responsibility because of its effects on peoples' lives and stability. Nowadays, security has new dimensions and responsibilities dictated by the era's circumstances, changes, events and consequences, Prince Naif said and added that the Arab security responsibility turned out to self-building, protection of existence and preservation of thoughts not from foreign dangers but from local threats. These threats consist of deviant and extremist thoughts. The extremists are not fearful of killing innocents, intimidating the peaceful and devastating properties. The task of ensuring Arab security today involved self-development, protection of life and preservation of thoughts not from foreign threats but from local ones arising from deviant and extremist thoughts, he said. Individuals with such deviant thoughts are apostates from Islam and they should be killed, as Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him has said, he declared, calling for a continued, comprehensive and intellectual security campaign to awaken the individuals dissociating from their identities. At the press conference later, Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz ruled out dialogue with the terrorists in Saudi Arabia, who claim to be defending Muslim doctrines but were, on the contrary, defaming the religion through their acts of terror. No dialogue with the deviants, he reaffirmed while answering a question on the five-day National Dialogue Forum last week in the Kingdom that had brought together a cross-section of Saudi thinkers and intellectuals who examined various social issues, especially fanaticism in Saudi society. The participants some 70 of them including 10 women submitted their recommendations to Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz who had initiated the unprecedented dialogue. On the other hand in Riyadh Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz downplayed security concerns that prompted British Airways to cancel its Riyadh-London-Riyadh flight, saying the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had not been informed about security threats. "Although the channels... between (BA) and us are open, they did not tell us about anything related to planes," he said when asked whether he had information on terrorist attacks on specific planes or flights. "This concerns them only and they know their own affairs better," Prince Naif said. British Airways canceled the flight, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at both ends. "The London-bound Flight BA262 was canceled because of the suspension of its incoming BA Flight 263 from London to Riyadh, which was due to take off from Heathrow Airport for Riyadh Saturday," said Chris Phipps, country manager for British Airways. Phipps said BA grounded flights on the Riyadh-London-Riyadh sector because of security concerns. "We are closely working with the British government, and BA also appreciates the high security standards of the Saudi government agencies, which is evident from a fool-proof security system currently in place at the Kingdom's international airports," he said. The sudden cancellation left hundreds of passengers stranded in Riyadh and London, airline industry sources said. It was not immediately known how many were affected. Hussein Al-Athel, Secretary-General of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), saw no justification for suspending BA flights on the Riyadh-London sector. "The situation is normal these days; eventually it is BA which will be the loser," he said. Last Wednesday, the UK government advised the airline not to operate the flight for security reasons. BA had said that it would decide at the weekend whether to operate Monday's flight, originating from London for Riyadh. "A government team, led by the Department for Transport, is working closely with the Saudi authorities," a BA statement issued in London said. The 21st session of the Council of the Arab Interior Ministers had in Tunis and tackled a number of issues including means of supporting the joint Arab security work. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Saudi Minister of Interior and the Honorary Chairman of the Council, addressed the meeting and presented a report of the Naif Arab Academy for Security Sciences for the year 2003. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior and the Honorary Chairman of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers had left Riyadh for Tunisia to participate in the 21st session of the Council. At Riyadh Airbase Airport, Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz was seen off by Prince Ahmed Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Minister of Interior; other princes and senior officials. Prince Naif was accompanied by Prince Fahd Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz and senior officials of the Ministry of Interior. In a departure statement, Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz pointed out that the Arab Interior Ministers will discuss important issues topped by the security situation in the Arab region, stressing that the Ministers will have a strong position against terrorism and its causes. On the time of ratification of an agreement for combating terrorism which had the approval of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, Prince Naif said that the agreement has been at the General Secretariat which has been formulating it with the GCC security bodies. He added that the agreement will be an addition to the Arab Agreement for Combating Terrorism both in means and causes for an effective combating of terrorism. Regarding the use of the unified passport among GCC member states, Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz noted that there is no need for that since the identity card used by GCC citizens encompass all information of a passport. Asked on the suspension of foreign airways flights to the Kingdom namely the British and if there is information on terrorist acts targeting these airways or flights, Prince Naif said this is their own affairs and added though channels are open between us and them they have not informed us of anything regarding planes. Replying to another question, Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz denied that the Yemeni sources briefed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on names of financiers of terrorism uncovered by Mohammed Al-Ahdal, Qaeda leader in Yemen. Saudi Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, who is also the Honorary President of the Arab Interior Ministers Council, had arrived in Tunis heading the Kingdom's delegation to the 11th session of the Council. At Qartaj airport, Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz was received by Tunisia's Minister of Interior and Local Development Dr. Al-Hadi Mohani; the Council's Secretary General Dr. Mohammed Ali Koman; President of Naif Arab Academy for security sciences Dr. Abdul Aziz Ibn Saqr Al-Ghamdi, and a number of senior officials. Interior Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, who is also the Honorary President of the Arab Interior Ministers Council, met with Bahrain's Minister of Interior Sheikh Mohammed Ibn Khalifa Al-Khalifa. The meeting came within the framework of consultations and coordination among Arab Interior Ministers who are attending the Council's 11th session was held in Tunis. The meeting was attended by Prince Fahd Inb Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz and Saudi Ambassador to Tunisia Ahmad Ibn Ali Al-Qahtani as well as the accompanying delegation of the Bahraini Interior Minister. Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, met with the Council's Secretary General Dr. Mohammed Ali Koman. The meeting was attended by Prince Fahd Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz and Saudi ambassador to Tunisia Ahmad bin Ali Al-Qahtani. Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Saudi Minister of Interior and the Honorary President of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, graced a luncheon party held by the Council's Secretary General Dr. Mohammed Ibn Ali Koman in honor of the Arab interior ministers currently holding their 21st session in Tunisia. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister and Honorary President of Arab Interior Ministers' Council, received In Tunis the Iraqi Interior Minister Noori Homood Al Badran. The meeting was attended by Prince Fahd Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz. It was also attended by the official delegation accompanying Prince Naif and Saudi Ambassador to Tunisia Ahmad Ibn Ali Al Qahtani. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister and Honorary President of Arab Interior Ministers' Council, received The Qatari Minister of State for Interior Affairs and Qatar's cabinet member Sheikh Hamad Ibn Nassir Ibn Jassim Al Thani. The meeting was attended by Prince Fahd Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz. It was also attended by the official delegation accompanying Prince Naif and Saudi Ambassador to Tunisia Ahmad Ibn Ali Al Qahtani. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, has also received in Tunis the Egyptian Minister of Interior Major General Habeeb Al Adli. During the meeting, they exchanged cordial talks and discussed a number of matters of mutual concern. The meeting was attended by Prince Fahd Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz. On the other hand the Tunisia's President Zain Al-Abedine Bin Ali received Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior and Honorary President of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers. The President also received Arab Interior Ministers who concluded their meetings in Tunis. The reception was attended by Prince Fahd Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Saudi Ambassador to Tunisia Ahmed bin Ali Al-Qahtani and other officials. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior and Honorary President of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers left Tunis after attending the 21st session of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, Prince Naif was seen off by Tunisia's Minister of Interior and Local Development Al-Hadi Mihani, Saudi Ambassador to Tunisia Ahmed IbnAli Al-Qahtani and other officials. On the other hand the Egyptian Interior Minister Major General Habib Al-Adli has lauded the decision taken at the 21st session of the Arab Interior Ministers' Council pertaining to changing the name of the Riyadh-based Naif Arab Academy for Security Sciences into Naif University for Security Sciences. At the end of the Council's 21st session, Al-Adli said Naif University for Security Sciences would positively contribute to the development of Arab security organs and improving their performance. On the other hand Iraq's interim Interior Minister, Nori Al-Badran, briefed reporters on preparations to set up a court to judge the ousted leader Saddam Hussein. He said all the judges would be Iraqis, and that it would be "a transparent trial, far removed from all oppression."