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ABU DHABI – For the first time, Saudi Arabia, under heavy criticism for its support of Osama bin Laden, has hinted that Iraq could be involved in the Islamic suicide attacks on New York and the Pentagon, according to the intelligence news service Geostrategy-Direct.com.
Saudi Arabia continues to be split over how to respond to heavy criticism for its support of Osama bin Laden. Now Saudi officials are privately suggesting that a Middle East power, probably Iraq, was behind the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. The officials have not named Iraq or its president, Saddam Hussein, publicly, according to the report.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz broke Riyad’s silence on the identities of the attackers and their sponsors. Sultan is regarded as the most pro-American figure in the Saudi leadership.
“Therefore, the big question arises: Who stands behind this terrorism and who carried out this complicated and carefully planned terrorist operation?” Prince Sultan asked in an interview with the Kuwaiti-based A-Siyassi daily. “Osama bin Laden and those with him have said what indicates that they stand behind this carefully planned act. We, in turn, ask: Are bin Laden and his supporters the only ones behind what happened, or is there another power with advanced technical expertise that acted with them?”
Saudi allies in the Gulf region, particularly Kuwait and Oman, are also trying to divert attention toward Iraq. Officials in those countries are publicly calling on Iraq to allow United Nations teams to inspect the country for weapons of mass destruction.
Sultan is engaged in a struggle for succession as King Fahd’s health continues to decline. The defense minister’s rival for the throne is his half-brother, Crown Prince Abdullah. Abdullah’s ally is said to be Interior Minister Prince Nayef, who rejected any Saudi link to bin Laden.
“Saudi Arabia has never helped any terrorist activity,” Nayef said. “If anybody has evidence [to the contrary], let him produce it.”
The statement by the defense minister came hours before the arrival of German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer to Riyadh. Fischer met Saudi leaders to discuss the war in Afghanistan as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Saudi authorities are said to have moved to stem anti-U.S. unrest in the kingdom, arresting suspected Islamic insurgents and issuing a warning to clerics to avoid statements that could exacerbate tensions linked to the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan.
“Saudi internal security is in good shape,” Prince Sultan said. “The kingdom enjoys a distinguished history of security and stability.”
Saudi Arabia has pledged to support the U.S.-led war against terrorism. But Saudi leaders, particularly Abdullah, are said to have refused to share intelligence information on bin Laden or to freeze his assets.
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