SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi banks and Islamic charities cited in a civil suit by families of 900 victims of last year's attacks on the US yesterday denied any role in terrorism.
The lawsuit, filed on August 15th, seeks $100 trillion in damages from leading Saudi political figures and institutions. The Saudi Defence Minister, Prince Sultan bin Abdel Aziz, third in line to the throne, the former intelligence chief, Prince Turki al-Faisal and Prince Muhammad al-Faisal al- Saud, a businessman, seven banks and eight Islamic charities have been accused of financing Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda movement, blamed for the attacks. Sudan's government has been similarly cited.
Analysts say that naming Prince Sultan, in particular, would stir deep resentment in official circles as he belongs to the so-called "Sudairi Seven", the seven sons of the founder of the dynasty, King Abdel Aziz ibn Saud, and Haasa al- Sudeiri. This group, which includes the ailing King Fahd, is the most pro-US faction in the ruling family.
Saudi commentators characterised the suit as an attempt to freeze or seize Saudi funds in the US, valued at $750 billion and put pressure on the kingdom to participate in a US military campaign against Iraq.
If the suit is allowed to proceed, Saudi public and private investments in the US could be liquidated. According to sources in the Gulf, this process, which began in a small way after September 11th, could be expected to accelerate.
While the government has not responded formally to the suit, the press has vehemently denounced the action. Al-Riyadh daily said, "There is a need to revise the \ international relations. At the top of the agenda comes the need to reconsider US- Saudi strategic ties. We must question those who think America is our only strategic option \ that no alternative can be found."
Khaled al-Dakheel, writing in the Saudi-owned al-Hayat daily published in London, said the US anti-Saudi media campaign, begun after it was found that 15 of the 19 men involved in the attacks on the US were Saudis, was fed not only by commentators but also by hawkish members of the Bush administration.
Saudi and US officials continue to claim that relations between the two countries remain strong.
Non-governmental organisations denied the allegation that Saudi money had "for years been funnelled to encourage radical anti-Americanism as well as to fund al-Qaeda terrorists." Sheikh Ali al-Juraiss, director of the Muslim World League, an educational and cultural organisation, said: "We have no links to (terrorism)."
The head of the International Islamic Relief Organisation, Mr Adnan Pasha, asserted: "Our financial records are well monitored and audited by international firms" in line with government regulations. Last year the charity spent $33 million on 2,800 projects benefiting more than 44,000 orphans in 95 countries.
AFP adds: King Hamad of Bahrain, whose island state is home to the US Fifth Fleet, joined Iranian leaders in opposing any "unilateral" strike against Iraq as he wrapped up a landmark visit yesterday to the Islamic republic.
"We express our determined opposition to any unilateral military action against Iraq," said a joint statement issued after King Hamad's talks with top officials in Tehran, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.