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| Iraq |
| Most wanted Saudi terrorists found at Kurdish prison |
| 2006-05-31 |
| Two Saudi most-wanted terrorists currently held in Iraqi Kurdistan spoke exclusively to Asharq al Awsat on Monday and revealed details about their arrest and their life in a Kurdish prison. Abdullah al Ramiyan and Mohammed al Rashudi, whose names appeared on Saudi Arabia’s list of 36 most-wanted terrorists, were captured in September 20003, as they attempted to enter Iraqi Kurdistan. Abdul Karim Sinjari, minister of state for the interior in Iraqi Kurdistan, told Asharq al Awsat, “Terrorists want to spread their destructive operations to our secure territories.” However, the strong cooperation between the people of northern Iraq and the security services had thwarted several terrorist attacks. Many individuals maintained direct contact with the Kurdish police and informed them of the presence of foreigners in Kurdish territories, the minister added. One wife even informed the police that her husband had taken part in a terrorist attack. “It is best I hand over my husband to the police than for 50 women to become widows.” The last major terrorist attack occurred in May 2005 when a police training center was targeted. Iraqi Kurdistan has enjoyed calm and prosperity, since the fall of Saddam Hussein, contrary to other parts of Iraq where the security situation has deteriorated and attacks occur on a daily basis. Islamist militants and would be jihadists were linked to al Qaeda and traveled to Iraq from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Yemen and other Gulf countries, not to enjoy Kurdistan’s beautiful scenery but to spread terror in the territory, Sinjari said. Asharq al Awsat met the two 24-year old terrorists, Abduallah al Ramiyan, the Kingdom’s 17 th most-wanted terrorist and a history student in the Mohammed bin Saud university in al Qassim, and Mohammed al Rashoudi, a high school student in Bureida, amid heightened security procedures, in the offices of Lieutenant Ismat Artush. According to Lieutenant Artush both men confessed they traveled to Iraq to undertake jihad, and had sought to enter Kurdish territory through the Ibrahim al Khalil pass, coming from Turkey without any proof of identity. They were given fake Iraqi names at the border but their cover was rapidly blown because of their foreign accents. The Kurdish official said the authorities had not sought to extradite the men to Saudi Arabia but established contact with Baghdad in order to determine their fate. “We know they are wanted by Saudi Arabia but we spoke to Baghdad about them.” The men were jailed initially in the city of Dohuk and then Shaklawa before finally being moved 20 miles to the southwest to Irbil . They have yet to stand trial because anti-terrorism laws have yet to be approved by the regional assembly. Abdullah told Asharq al Awsat he had been traveling to Iraqi Kurdistan for tourism with his best friend Mohammed, after leaving Saudi Arabia to Jordan and then to Syria. The two young men then traveled to Istanbul and Diyarbakir in eastern Anatolia . “I crossed the border as an Iraqi but on the Kurdistan side, they detained me. I had 2500 dollars in my possession.” On another occasion, he repeated a different version of events and said he had traveled to Iraqi to see his friend’s relatives. The 24-year-old said he was from al Manar neighborhood in Riyadh and had been held in solitary confinement during the investigation but was later moved to a bigger cell with other Arab and Kurdish prisoners. He denied being physically abused or tortured. When asked about the origin of a prominent cut on his forehead, Abdullah said he had hurt himself as child. He said his family had visited him four times in jail and regularly sent him money. But Lieutenant Artush refuted these claims and said the Saudi inmates had received no visitors. While refusing to be photographed, the terrorist gave Asharq al Awsat his brother’s number to reassure his family. The meeting with Mohammed Saleh was more tense, with the 24-year old student aggressively answering questions and shouting. As he entered the room, he asked, “Who are you?” to which I replied, “I am a journalist.” “I don’t like journalists. Leave me alone. Kurdish officials have promised they will release me in the next few days.” He said he had enough money to buy essentials such as soap and shaving cream and indicated that one of the benefits of jail was that he had learned to speak Kurdish and tried Kurdish foods. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #15 "the iraqi south a kurdish trust territory" LOL. Don't hold back! |
| Posted by: Chang Ominesing2659 2006-05-31 20:24 |
| #14 Who's for reinstituting Kurdistan, arming the Kurds to the teeth, and making the iraqi south a kurdish trust territory, and any Arabs living in the North migrant workers? Who's with me? Bush, feel free to use this! Weeee! |
| Posted by: ordu 2006-05-31 20:20 |
| #13 not Murat, eh? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-05-31 19:33 |
| #12 TW, I am usually called a "stupid Kurd from Turkey," usually by people who don't like the things I say. Obviously, you are more far discerning than they are ;) |
| Posted by: Azad 2006-05-31 19:04 |
| #11 Azad, are you Kurdish? You've been sharing some interesting insights, and I am curious how you know so much. One of the things I really like about Rantburg is the expertise various readers bring. Lots of military people, f'r instance, and of course various foreign correspondents from around the world. Forgive my nosiness, but it helps me to have a little background to properly appreciate your contribution. :-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-05-31 15:52 |
| #10 Mohammed...have you ever been in a Kurdish prison? |
| Posted by: Capt. Roger Ouvere 2006-05-31 15:29 |
| #9 A rare and commendable act of selflessness from the Arab world. Only the one, mind. It's the Kurdish world, a world that is totally different in language, culture, and history from the Arab world. The pêşmerge just love to catch these guys. Bijîn! |
| Posted by: Azad 2006-05-31 15:23 |
| #8 "Asharq al Awsat met the two 24-year old terrorists, Abduallah al Ramiyan, the KingdomÂ’s 17 th most-wanted terrorist and a history student in the Mohammed bin Saud university in al Qassim, and Mohammed al Rashoudi, a high school student in Bureida" 24 year old high school student. Surprised no one caught that. Well, that's what I'm here for. Also, enough money for soap and shaving cream? Yeah, sure. No comment necessary. |
| Posted by: ordu 2006-05-31 10:27 |
| #7 Abdullah al Ramiyan and Mohammed al Rashudi, whose names appeared on Saudi ArabiaÂ’s list of 36 most-wanted terrorists, were captured in September 20003, as they attempted to enter Iraqi Kurdistan. Good to know that Iraq is still one country in 20003! I mean how are the Demos gonna blame Bush for something almost 18,000 years later? And, on the woman's story, we had a funny reversal here in Metro Atlanta (in the Gwinnett paper today). Seems that a local woman (Lebanese I believe) had married a man from Lebanon to get him in to the U.S. (he was also 10 years younger than her). Local cops got a strange call from him about his wife beating him up. Seems that she went to Lebanon (years ago), married him, brought him to the States in order that he keep the house. Even went so far that he had to sleep in the garage (gets hot in there...in the 90s outside this week) or on the front porch and had NO access to their finances. Supposedly, she beat him regularly, and the cops said the house was UNUSUALLY in order (immaculate lawn, beautiful flowers, spic-n-span clean, etc.). I guess he was in fear of being deported, but I got a good chuckle that "women's liberation" ruled in that case and that she was the one doin' the beatin', lol! Mehopes more women do this on their "masters." |
| Posted by: BA 2006-05-31 10:07 |
| #6 "yew ain't from aroud here, is yew"? Release them? KIll them. Now. Send their heads back to Saudi |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-05-31 09:15 |
| #5 Or she wasn't steeped in Islamic propaganda. Good for her. Hopefully she survives her decision. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2006-05-31 08:21 |
| #4 Or not keeping up with her Koran classes... ;) |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2006-05-31 04:58 |
| #3 Howard, I'm betting she was Kurdish. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2006-05-31 04:36 |
| #2 One wife even informed the police that her husband had taken part in a terrorist attack. “It is best I hand over my husband to the police than for 50 women to become widows.” A rare and commendable act of selflessness from the Arab world. Only the one, mind. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2006-05-31 03:44 |
| #1 mutts |
| Posted by: RD 2006-05-31 01:47 |