March 3, 2006

THE SAUDI INTERIOR MINISTRY UNVEILS THE IDENTITIES OF FOUR TERRORISTS AMONGST WHOM THREE FROM THE WANTED LIST. SECURITY FORCES FOLLOW UP THE REMAINING TERRORISTS. THE SAUDI GRAND MUFTI: THE FAILED ATTEMPT DISCLOSES THE TERRORISTS' ENMITY AND HATRED AND REVEALS THAT THEIR COVERING UP BY RELIGION IS JUST FALSE SLOGANS CIRCULATED BY ENEMIES OF ALLAH AND HIS PROPHET. The Saudi security forces raided early last Monday a rest house at al-Yarmouk neighbourhood, east of Riyadh, believed to be a hideout for members of the deviant group. 'After exchanging fire with members of the deviant group, the security forces were able to kill all persons who were in the hideout, and their number was five', said an official source at the interior ministry. 'At the same time, the security forces raided another place East of Riyadh, and one of the suspects was arrested' said the official source, noting that with the grace of Almighty Allah no one among security men was injured during these operations. A supplementary statement was issued carrying more details in this respect. Elaborating on the criminal attack on Abqaiq Industrial Plants last Friday, an official source at the Ministry of Interior said that security follow-up of the developments of that incident resulted in identifying the location of a rest house in Al Yarmouk neighbourhood east of the city of Riyadh which saboteurs made a base for manufacturing death and destruction. Early on Monday, the security forces encircled the perimeter of the site and took necessary measures to ensure the safety of the citizens and expatriates. Then, they began to tackle those inside. Intensive exchange of fire took place. Those present at the site, five in number, used, in the exchange, machine guns and hand grenades. They barricaded themselves behind two cars inside the site. One of the two cars took part in sinful attack which was carried out in the province of Abqaiq. In a brief time, the security forces managed to end the standoff killing those saboteurs who are followers of the deviant group. Those killed were: 1- Fahd bin Farraj bin Mohammad Aljowair, a 36 years Saudi national. In the past, he stayed in Afghanistan. His cooperation with the deviant group began by harboring those wanted for the security authorities. Then, he participated in their criminal activities. He moved among their hiding places while in disguise. After his gang was defeated, he took charge of the criminal cells. He learnt from the leaders of evil and sabotage targeting assets of the homeland and its oil installations under the pretext of Jihad. He actually took part in this attack. Along with his peers, he fired on guards of Abqaiq Industrial Plants killing two security men and injuring others. He received just punishment for undermining the security of this homeland and assents of its citizens. 2- Jaffal bin Rafie bin Mazhour Al-Shimmari, he is Saudi, aged 28. He was previously detained due to his affection by the deviant thought. Later he was released after commitment to distance himself from suspected places. Then he joined the deviating group, participated in their criminal activities and tried to gain skills in preparing and making explosives. He was one of participants in the attack on Abqaiq Industrial factories. He attacked guards and was killed. 3- Ibrahim bin Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Mutair, he is Saudi, aged 22. He had ability in dealing with computers and using Internet. He joined the deviating group and exploited his ability in serving their suspected goals. He moved among the deviants' hideouts until he was killed by security men. 4- Abdullah bin Muhayya bin Shlash Al-Shimmari, he is Saudi, aged 25. He embraced the deviant thought. He was previously detained, but later released after he and his family promised to distance himself from suspected places. He broke his promise and worked in serving the goals of the deviating group. He assisted deviants in their transportation. He actively participated in their activities and the latest one in shooting at guards in Abqaiq industrial factories and was killed. Measures of identifying the fifth individual killed in the incident among this group are still underway. After the completion of the measures, his identity will be announced, the statement said. After searching the site, quantities of weapons, ammunitions, supplies, explosives, money and other items were seized. Criminal Laboratories' tests proved that some of the weapons were used in the attack on Abqaiq Industrial Plants. Two cars were also found. One of them was used in the attack on Abqaiq Industrial Plants. Documentation of many of their activities, including the attack on Abqaiq Industrial Plants, was also seized. Three of the five militants killed in clashes with the security services in the Saudi capital were on Saudi Arabia's most wanted list, the Saudi interior ministry said. The ministry said Fahd Faraj al Juwair, the alleged leader of al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, Ibrahim al Mutair and Abdullah al Shammari were on the list of 36 most wanted al Qaeda militants issued by the Saudi authorities in June. Jaffal al Shammari and Suleiman al Talq were also killed. All five were Saudi nationals. The identity of a sixth man captured in the clashes has yet to be revealed. Juwair, Jaffal al Shammari and Abdullah al Shamri, who were killed by the security services, in Riyadh's Yarmouk neighborhood, took part in the foiled suicide attack on the major oil processing facility at Abqaiq. The attack, the first direct assault on Saudi oil production, was stopped when guards fired on cars packed with explosives trying to force entry. At least two vehicles blew up killing the occupants. Two guards were also killed and other two injured. The three militants were in a Land Cruiser car that sped away from the scene. The investigation into the Abqaiq attack led the security forces to a safe house in the Yarmouk neighbourhood of the capital, used by the militants as a base. Early last Monday, security forces besieged the house and exchanged fire with the five militants who were armed with machine guns and hand grenades. The militants barricaded themselves behind two cars, one of which was later identified as having been used in the attack on the oil production facility. Born in al Zulfi, the 36-year-old Juwair was number two on the list. He took over the leadership of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia in July following the death of Younis al Hayari, a Moroccan, in a shootout in Riyadh . No 11 on the list of most wanted, Ibrahim al Mutair was a computer expert while Abdullah al Shammari, No 15, who assisted al Qaeda with transportation, had previously been detained by the authorities but released after he and his family promised to distance themselves from extremism. For his part, Jaffal al Shammari, aged 28, was previously arrested for his links to al Qaeda and was known to be obtaining information about bomb making. The Ministry statement added that 21-year-old Suleiman al Talq had been active on extremist internet forums. Security services seized weapons, ammunitions, supplies, explosives, money, documents and other items. On the other hand the Grand Mufti of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Chairman of Senior Ulema (religious scholars) Commission and Religious Research and Ifta Department Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh has denounced the foiled terrorist act committed by criminals in an attempt to destroy the Kingdom's economy in Abqaiq last Friday. In his speech, he noted that the failed attempt discloses the terrorists' enmity and hatred and reveals that their covering up by religion is just false slogans circulated by enemies of Allah and his Prophet, stressing that the terrorists want to spread evil and wreak havoc in Muslim countries. The Grand Mufti praised Saudi security men for their efforts in foiling the terrorist act, praying to Almighty Allah to bless the souls of martyrs and wishing a quick recovery for the injured. He reaffirmed previous statements issued by Ulema who condemned the acts of this deviating group, forbade any harboring or cooperation with them and stressed that their acts are contrary to the religion. Sheikh Abdul Aziz pointed to the evil actions committed by terrorists in the two holy cities: Makkah and Madinah. A group of scholars and officials have unanimously condemned the terrorist operation carried out by the deviant group who targeted one of the major economic facilities in the country, in Abqaiq. They stressed that the terrorist acts aimed at undermining the country s vital economic installations will never intimidate the peace loving Saudi people nor shake up their deep-rooted Islamic values, which denounce violence and encourage tolerance, moderation, flexibility and coherence. We wonder what principles these groups have and what do they want to advocate through violence, killings and destruction? These acts reflect their superficiality and their total ignorance on the essentials of the genuine Islamic teachings, which fortify, protect and sanctify all human societies from menace of extremism and fundamentalism. By all standards and measures what they have done is pure corruption and a criminal act which has nothing to do with Islam. They stressed that the responsibility of fighting terrorism is not confined to a certain gender and pointed that it is the responsibility of the entire society and added It is a holy obligation for all Muslims to uproot this corruption and prevent its spread. For his part, Sheikh Saleh Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Al-Sheikh, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawa and Guidance said, Fighting terrorism should be based on three axes. The first axis, concentrates on the prevention, and curtails the spread of this deviant thought. The second is a therapeutic measure and is aimed at curing the youth who have fallen in the abyss of misconceptions which have been instilled in their minds. Last, the third axis, is a disciplinary one. This axis is meant to deter the advocates of this deviant thought by force since they didn t respond to advice and sound logic. Sheikh Saleh said experience has proven that the terrorist groups believe in violence because they lack the essential religious knowledge. They resort to violence and killings to intimidate people so that they embrace their thoughts, which advocate extremism and fundamentalism. Thus he recommends formation of committees to explain to the public the wrong and misleading edicts given by this group. Meanwhile, Sheikh Saleh Ibn Muhammad Al-Lehaidan, Chairman of the Higher Judiciary Council, said in the Hereafter the punishment of those who encroach on human lives and terrify peaceful societies is hellfire. These crimes are alien to our society and are strictly prohibited in Islam and in all revelations as well. The Islamic Shariah prohibits all kinds of hostilities against humanity in addition to tyranny and injustice. This is based on the Divine Hadith, which says, Oh, My Creature I prohibit injustice on myself so I prohibit it among yourselves. Don t tyrannize each other. Sheikh Al-Lahaidan continued saying, The worst kind of man s tyranny and injustice is the hostility against others blood, faiths, honor and souls. Saleh Al-Humaid, the Shoura Council Speaker said, Violence in its different shapes and forms be they explosions, devastation and killings, will never affect in anyway the genuine Islamic values nor the remarkable achievements. It will never become a law or a pattern of life. The Chairman of Commission of Virtue Promotion and Vice Prevention Sheikh Ibrahim Ibn Abdullah Al-Ghaith has denounced the criminal and terrorist incident which targeted oil refineries in Abqaiq. In a statement issued, he called on all people for unity behind the Saudi leaders to fight this alien and deviating thought. Sheikh Ibrahim pointed out that Islamic Sharia forbids attack on religion, peoples and properties, noting that this heinous act is considered an attack on the religion, the country's sanctity and sanctified people. He stressed that these terrorist and criminal incidents aim at wreaking havoc on the earth. In Russia Muslims condemned the attacks in Abqaia and the head of Russia's Mufti Council Mufti Ravil Gainutdin condemned the attacks and stressed that Islam is a tolerant religion and that terrorism should be eradicated. In Kuwait the The Cabinet last Tuesday strongly condemned the dual terrorist attacks against Abqaiq oil processing plant in eastern Saudi Arabia last Friday. Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for Cabinet and National Assembly Affairs Mohammad Dhaifallah Sharar said following the conclusion of the weekly session that was chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah that the Cabinet hailed the strict measures imposed by the Kingdom in confronting terrorism, as well as sparing the country all dangers by warning those perpetrators against planning to undermine its security and stability. He said that the State of Kuwait affirms its support to all international efforts exerted in combating all types of terrorism. In Yemen the man accused of being Al-Qaeda's "number two man in Yemen" has appeared in court for a second hearing on charges of raising large funds from Saudi businessmen to support the terrorist group. Public Prosecutor Khaled Mawry told a court in Sanaa that Mohammed Hamdi Ahdal, also known as Abu Assem, admitted he has raised in four years more than one million Saudi riyals (US$266,000) to support Al-Qaeda operations in Yemen. Mawry said Ahdal acknowledged that he gave 70,000 riyals to Abu Ali al-Harithy, the Al-Qaeda leader in Yemen, who was killed in November 2002 in a U.S. drone attack in the province of Marib, northeast of Sana'a. Ahdal also confessed that he had travelled to Afghanistan for military training, then went to Bosnia to fight. He was later imprisoned in Saudi Arabia before being deported to Yemen. Additionally, he raised funds for Chechen fighters in Yemen and handed 30,000 Saudi riyals to Ghaleb Sayidi, also a defendant in the same case, to promote Muslim extremism and encourage youth to take on jihad (holy war) in the province of Marib. Ahdal denied before the court all the accusations filed against him by the public prosecutor, arguing that he was forced to make false confessions during his seven months in solitary confinement. Ahdal was arrested in 2003 and his trial began on Feb. 13, a week after 23 al-Qaeda prisoners, deemed among the most dangerous in the country, escaped from the central intelligence prison in Sanaa, causing anger in Washington. Among the escapees, 13 were convicted in the Oct. 23, 2000 bombing of USS Cole in which 17 U.S. servicemen were killed. The next hearing in Ahdal's trial was set for March 13. Yemeni authorities have executed a man convicted of murdering three American Christian missionaries in an attack on a Baptist hospital in southern Yemen in 2002. Aabid Abdur-Razzak Kamil, 35, was sentenced to death in May 2003 after he was convicted of killing the three Americans on Dec. 30, 2002. He reportedly entered the hospital and gunned down two physicians and an administrator. A fourth missionary was injured in the attack. Kamil was executed by a firing squad at the central prison in Ibb province, some 190 kilometers south of Sanaa, in the presence of prosecution representatives and lawyers, said the sources. Judicial sources said the verdict, upheld by an appeals court in December 2003, was affirmed by President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Saturday. Saleh also heads the country's Supreme Judicial Council. During the trial, Kamil admitted to the crime, and told the court he was defending Islam when he killed the three missionaries. Yemeni officials have said that Kamil was a member of a militant group that had planned to assassinate secular politicians and foreign missionaries working in the Arab country. They said the group was led by the radical preacher Ali Ahmad Jarallah, who was executed last November after a court convicted him of murdering a senior opposition politician on Dec. 29, 2002, just one day before Kamil killed the three Americans. Meanwhile, a Sanaa state security court yesterday convicted three Yemeni men repatriated from the US military prison in Guantanamo last year of forgery and sentenced two of them to three and a half years in jail. The court found the three men guilty of falsifying official passport and identity documents, there were however, no terrorism charges involved. Two of the men, Muhammad Faraj Ba-Shumaila and Salah Nassir Salim Qarw, were sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison each. Presiding judge Najeeb Al-Qadri ordered the immediate release of the third convict, Muhammad Abdullah Al-Assad, saying that he had already served equivalent time in detention outside the country. The three men had been detained at the Guantanamo detention facility in Cuba before they were handed over to Yemen in May 2005. Meantime Security authorities in Yemen are expected to release 200 Houthi followers in Saada as part of ongoing negotiations to secure peace in the northern region. Houthi followers and government forces said that this measure was ordered by President Ali Abdullah Saleh after Yehya Al-Shami, the newly appointed governor, took over the Saada region. Sheikh Dughsan Ahmed Dughsan, a mediation committee member, said that 60 prisoners were released under the supervision of new governor. He praised the efforts of the governor for ensuring security in Saada. Dughsan added that Abdulkarim Badruddin Al-Houthi is now in the house of the Governor Al-Shami and that negotiations are continuing. The ceasefire has been maintained since the new governor took office, and there is optimism in Saada at what some believe is the end of a crisis that has long disrupted development in Saada. In France a suspected Islamic radical from Algeria who was extradited from Britain after a long legal fight went on trial in Paris Monday in connection with a wave of deadly bombings in the French capital in 1995. Rachid Ramda, 35, is charged with criminal association with a terrorist organisation and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail -- almost the same length of time he spent in detention in Britain awaiting extradition to France, which finally happened in December. The charges before a magistrate's court relate only to the planning and preparation of the 1995 metro attacks, which were blamed on the Algerian Armed Islamic Group (GIA) and left eight dead and 200 injured. Ramda, who is alleged to have financed the operation, faces a possible second trial before a jury for his alleged role in the actual bombings, in which he risks a life sentence. The defence was expected to argue for the case to be dropped on the grounds that the main evidence against Ramda -- witness statements from convicted bomber Boualem Bensaid -- was extracted under duress. France's National Police Inspectorate (IGPN) is currently investigating allegations made in a recent book that police tortured suspects in the 1995 bombings using electronic prods and beatings. "Apart from a few fingerprints on bank documents and some telephone taps, the accusations against my client are based essentially on the confessions of Boualem Bensaid," Ramda's lawyer Guillaume Barbe told Le Parisien newspaper. Ramda was arrested in Britain in November 1995 and evaded extradition for many years by a series of appeals. Investigators believe that in the early 1990s he was a leading GIA operative in Europe, in regular touch with the group's leader in Algeria Jamel Zeitouni who wished to punish France for its support of the government in Algiers. He is believed to have channelled funds from London to the perpetrators of the bomb plot -- Bensaid and Smain Ait Ali Belkacem. Both received life terms in 2002 for the crime. In 1993 Ramda was sentenced to death in his absence in Algeria after being convicted of a bomb attack on the city's airport which killed nine people the year before. He fled to Britain where he was kept under surveillance by the authorities. Police believe he was editor of the GIA's newsletter Al-Ansar. In Spain Police in Malaga have arrested a Tunisian man who is alleged to have links to the Islamist terrorist cell broken up on the Costa del Sol last December and which allegedly recruited and trained suicide bombers for Iraq. Police sources say the arrested man is 44 years old and was detained last weekend after several house searches were carried out. It brings the total number of arrests in the case to 15.