Saudi Arabia gave Islamist militants loyal to al Qaeda a final chance to surrender under a one-month amnesty before a deadline expires Thursday, an Interior Ministry statement said. So far only four militants had given themselves up since the amnesty was declared by de facto ruler Crown Prince Abdullah. Al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia have said in Internet statements the initiative will fail. "The Interior Ministry wishes to draw to the attention that the deadline of the (amnesty) call made to those who had strayed off the path of Islam expires Thursday evening," the ministry said in a statement.
| "Yo! Just a reminder, youse guyz!" |
It said those abroad who wish to be covered by the amnesty must contact the authorities before the deadline expires. Learned Elder of Islam Islamist cleric Safar al-Hawali, who has been mediating between militants and authorities, said a fifth militant who had surrendered at a Saudi embassy in an unspecified Arab country was expected to arrive in the kingdom later Thursday. He told Reuters he had been negotiating with authorities to extend the deadline but that Crown Prince Abdullah refused. Halawi said 10 suspected militants, including two others on the list of 26, have registered their surrender so far but there has been no official announcement. Officials said the state would drop its claims against militants who surrender but added that families of their victims could still press for punishment.
| The state won't do anything, but anybody whose husband or father's head's in somebody's refrigerator is free to take them to court... |
Saudi Arabia has also said that 27 wanted men had been handed over to its security forces from foreign countries. It was not clear if any had surrendered under the amnesty. Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz had said he expected large numbers of militants to give themselves up.
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