Saudi Arabien

[Skywalker]

U.S. SAYS SAUDIS KILLED QAIDA LEADERS


WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The United States has assessed that Saudi Arabia has eliminated most of the leadership of Al Qaida's network in the Arab kingdom.

Officials said many of the Al Qaida leaders in Saudi Arabia were killed or arrested over the last three months. They said Saudi security forces, with support from U.S. intelligence and law enforcement, raided Al Qaida strongholds in Buraida, Mecca, Jedda and Riyad.

"Saudi Arabia is working hard to shut down the facilitators and financial supporters of terrorism, and they have captured or killed many first-tier leaders of the Al Qaida organization in Saudi Arabia," a White House statement on Sept. 11 said. "Today, because Saudi Arabia has seen the danger and joined the war on terror, the American people are safer."

The statement largely echoed an earlier assertion by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz. In August, Abdullah said Saudi authorities have eliminated virtually the entire Al Qaida leadership and has now moved to searching for lower-level operatives.

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