Riyadh: Jaber Al Fifi, a former militant who was once on the Saudi list of wanted terrorists, said Al Qaida's assassination attempt on Prince Mohammad Bin Naif, Saudi assistant interior minister for security affairs and son of interior minister, was aimed at stopping militants from surrendering to authorities.
In August 2009, Prince Mohammad was slightly injured in a suicide bombing.
Al Fifi, who recently surrendered to Saudi security authorities from his exile in Yemen and announced his repentance, appeared on Saudi TV on Tuesday evening.
He also explained in detail how the plan was devised, saying that there was a specific plan to send someone across the border to target the Prince.
"A militant by the name of Saeed Al Shihri changed the plan and sent Abdullah Aseeri to carry out the plot," he added.
Al Fifi was a former Guantanamo detainee who was freed by the American authorities and handed to Saudi Arabia.
He was set free following anti-terror counseling sessions but ended up fleeing to Yemen to join Al Qaida.
Speaking further about the assassination attempt on the life of the Saudi assistant interior minister, Al Fifi said the plan of the plot was kept secret and Al Qaida was surprised that the plot has failed.
He added that the failure was due to the fact that they did not put a toxic substance in the explosives.
He also said the attack was successful in that many militants were more hesitant to surrender themselves to the Saudi authorities.
The attacker had been in constant contact with Al Qaida in Yemen while he was in Saudi Arabia and all of his movements were recorded by Al Qaida.
