Al Qaeda men’s list provided to Riyadh

Published November 26, 2003

ISLAMABAD, Nov 25: Interior minister Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat on Tuesday called on his Saudi counterpart Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz in Riyadh, exchanging information about Al Qaeda terrorists, a source close to the minister said.

The source said the interior minister provided a list of Al Qaeda suspects, who are believed to be involved in the recent suicide bomb explosions in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Hayat is currently visiting Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

The minister informed his Saudi counterpart that after the downfall of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, these terrorists, who had taken refuge in Afghanistan, had entered various countries including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the source said.

The two ministers reviewed a plan under which a team of Pakistani investigators would be sent to Saudi Arabia to assist Saudi authorities to track down Al Qaeda network there, the source said.

The source quoted the minister as saying: “We have evidence that Al Qaeda terrorists having network in Afghanistan and some other countries are involved in recent spate of bomb blasts in Saudi Arabia.”

The minister offered all sort of assistance if required by the Saudi Arabian government in future.