Saudi-Arabians start vast anti-terror campaign

The authorities in Saudi Arabia have embarked on a vast anti-terrorism operation in which up to 12,000 citizens will be questioned at the behest of the US, a Saudi opposition group has said.

"The Saudi government is doing a full-scale sweeping activity," said Saad al-Fagih, of the London-based Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia. "This is causing occasional confrontations with members [of militant groups] who have taken a decision not to surrender themselves."

Several in the kingdom had told him of a "substantial list," provided by the US, naming Saudi citizens who were to be questioned or arrested, he said. One put the number of names at 12,000. Others gave lower figures but all were well into the thousands.

"There are strong signs that the number is 12,000," Fagih added.

The information had been compiled by the US from various countries, including Pakistan, Bosnia, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, he said. Some names were included because they had been mentioned by suspects under interrogation but others were on the list because of money transfers or travel bookings. "It doesn't mean they are all suspects or wanted, but they all have to be interviewed," Fagih added.

Saudi Arabia is reluctant to admit to cooperating with the US for fear of inflaming domestic opinion, but it also needs to placate American critics who say it has done too little to combat terrorism.

The result of that, say security analysts, is that Riyadh and Washington collaborate in private far more extensively than either side will admit. There is also no doubt that Saudi Arabia is in the midst of an unprecedented security trawl. In recent weeks at least 15 anti-terrorism raids have been reported in the kingdom -- though others have almost certainly gone unreported.

On Wednesday, Britain and the US issued new warnings for travellers to the kingdom.

Crown Abdullah, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, told security officials on Thursday that the kingdom is engaged in a "decisive battle" against terrorism. "In the struggle between forces of good and forces of evil, there is no room for being neutral or hesitant," he said in a speech reported by the official Saudi news agency.

His remarks reflected the government's changed attitude towards internal terrorism which, before the suicide bombings on May 12 that killed 35 people including nine attackers in Riyadh, usually amounted to denying there was a serious problem.

The claim that Saudi authorities are working through a US-supplied list of suspects could not be independently confirmed yesterday, though the US is known to have supplied a shorter list to Yemen.

The kingdom has publicly turned down requests to let the FBI question suspects, so accepting an American list of people to be interviewed by Saudi officials could be a compromise solution.

Last month, police found underground arsenals at farms in the kingdom, and cars and trucks ready for use as bombs. They have also discovered fake passports, surveillance equipment and donation boxes.