Saudi Grand Mufti condemns terrorist acts/Saudi News Releases

Saudi Grand Mufti condemns terrorist acts/Saudi News Releases
June 27, 2006

TERRORISM

The Kingdom’s Grand Mufti Shaikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-AsShaikh, who also chairs the Senior Commission of ulema (religious scholars), condemned criminal acts perpetrated by militants in remarks this week. He called on Saudi citizens to report any suspicious activity to the security forces, and warned them not to hide militants. The Grand Mufti described Al-Qaeda as enemies of Islam, the nation, and its economy, and urged all Muslims to unite and combat all crimes. He also praised security forces for their efforts.
Saudi authorities arrested 27 militants last month
The Interior Ministry announced June 24 that from May 9 through May 23 Saudi security forces arrested 27 suspected Al-Qaeda terrorists in raids throughout the Kingdom. The suspected militants included two Somalis and one Ethiopian who were involved in suspicious activities in Riyadh, Makkah the Eastern Province and the northern region.
In addition, security forces arrested one Iraqi and three Saudis following a raid on their hideout in Hafr Al-Baten. All three were wanted by security forces. Authorities also seized weapons and documents at the militants’ hideout. Nine Saudi suspected militants were arrested as well.
Six Al-Qaeda militants killed in early-morning raid in Riyadh
Saudi security forces killed six Al-Qaeda militants, all Saudis, and arrested one militant in a raid in Riyadh June 23, the Ministry of Interior confirmed. One security member was killed and seven others injured in the operation.
The militants were killed after they initiated a gunfight with security forces while driving a stolen car to a safehouse in the Al-Nakheel neighborhood. In the safehouse, security forces confiscated weapons, cash, forged documents, computers, telecommunications equipment, forged vehicle registrations, equipment for forging and a studio for filming.
Information obtained during the raid also resulted in the arrests of two additional suspected militants with direct links to the group.

SAUDI ARABIA-US

Fourteen Guantanamo detainees returned to the Kingdom
Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz announced that 14 detainees at the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay were returned to the Kingdom June 25. The detainees include 13 Saudi citizens and one Turkistani whose parents reside in the Kingdom.
Prince Nayef said that the detainees would be dealt with according to the Kingdom’s justice system. He also expressed his appreciation to US authorities for their cooperation, and said that efforts remain ongoing to repatriate the remaining Saudi detainees at Guantanamo in the near future.

FOREIGN AID

Kingdom allocates $1 billion to fight poverty in Africa
Saudi Arabia has allocated $1 billion to a fund to alleviate poverty in Africa. The fund was established within the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) at the 3rd Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference, held in Makkah in December 2005.
The Kingdom made the announcement during the 33rd session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in Baku, Azerbaijan June 19-21, 2006.