Gulf | Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia foiled 180 terror plots since 2003
Saudi interior minister has announced that the country is setting up security units to protect oil installations against terrorist attacks.
- By Mariam Al Hakeem, Correspondent
- Published: 00:42 July 3, 2007
Riyadh: Saudi interior minister has announced that the country is setting up security units to protect oil installations against terrorist attacks.
Speaking to the press on Sunday evening following a visit to the Shura Council in Riyadh, Prince Nayef said the security forces have succeeded without assistance from others in foiling 180 terrorist attacks since 2003.
"If 10 per cent of these attacks took place it would have been a catastrophe," the Saudi interior minister said. "We will not allow any transgression of (Islamic) creed or the homeland and what is happening now violates the creed and the nation by targeting its capabilities."
'Nation is target'
In February 2006, the Saudi authorities announced that it foiled attempts by militants to attack Abqaiq oil facility in the eastern part of the kingdom.
He said terrorism is not only targeting the leadership or the government, but the whole country. He appealed to citizens to abide by religion and the homeland.
Prince Nayef underlined the need of the ulema (Muslim scholars), shaikhs, intellectuals and opinion leaders to encounter terrorism. "They have to work to encounter this ideology and the media should play a role too," he said.
Asked about the trials of terrorists who have been apprehended earlier, Prince Nayef said it was the duty of the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Judicial Council. He indicated that the interior ministry was ready to bring the terrorists to court but was waiting for the ministry of justice to assign judges in Riyadh and Jeddah for the task.
Prince Nayef dismissed reports of wanted Saudi terror suspects in Iranian jails, and stressed that recent contacts between Riyadh and Tehran were for security cooperation in general.
Anti-vice squad
He strongly defended the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV) by saying that it was being "targeted by the media."
"Do you know that the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice is an Islamic pillar? If we are Muslims we have to admit that and if we are not Muslims then the situation will be different," he said.
"I would like to say that the commission is being targeted and regrettably from the media as the media exaggerates some minor shortcomings," he added.
Prince Nayef denied that the future of the CPVPV was discussed following the death of two Saudis arrested by the Commission earlier in Riyadh and Tabuk. He also dismissed reports that the Shura Council was against supporting the Commission.
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