18 January 2004	Sunday	25 Ziqa'ad 1424

RIYADH, Jan 17: The Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Hasan Rowhani, said in an interview with the Saudi daily Al Riyadh that Tehran has provided Saudi Arabia with exact and precise information about the Al Qaeda network.

Mr Rowhani added that the information may very well have helped Saudi Arabia detain suspects in the cases of the recent explosions in the country.

He also said Iran was prepared to expand cooperation with Saudi Arabia on security issues.

Hasan Rowhani emphasized that Iran had handed over several Al Qaeda members to Saudi Arabia in the past several months. The US media have been alleging that several Al Qaeda leaders, including

Seif Al Adil, believed to be responsible for the May 12 triple bombings in Riyadh, and Saad bin Laden, the eldest son of Osama bin Laden, are currently in the custody of the Iranian authorities.

The US has often asked the Iranian authorities to hand over the Al Qaeda operatives in its custody.