The Ministry of Interior has denied reports published in a Washington-based online newspaper that Saudi officials had launched a massive crackdown on Al-Qaeda terrorists who were allegedly planning to attack pilgrims participating in this year’s Haj.The Middle East Times — a sister publication of the Washington Times which is owned by News World Communications — carried the report on Dec. 16 quoting unnamed US intelligence officials. The report said the Saudi government’s operation followed alerts that Al-Qaeda planned to launch a bloody assault on pilgrims.
Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, described the report as “incorrect.” “We didn’t launch any huge counterterrorism operation,” he said, adding that there was no intelligence of an attack targeting the pilgrims.
The Times report stated that this year’s pilgrimage began on Dec. 6 under the nervous eye of Saudi security forces that included 20,000 ground troops, flights of combat helicopters and a large number of armored vehicles deployed at key locations. It added that “technical and other surveillance was increased” in and around Makkah, and that “the site was monitored by 10,000 security cameras and Saudi agents mixed with the pilgrims. Communication between Saudi fast reaction and special security units was improved and capability augmented.” The report added, “No four-wheel vehicles were allowed because of fears of car bombings.”
Al-Turki, refuting the claim, said security forces take part in serving the pilgrims every year to assure a successful pilgrimage. “This is not something new. It’s normal, we do it all the time ... These types of security measures have been taken well before the Kingdom was struck by a wave of terrorist attacks in 2003. What’s the big deal?” he added.
Referring to a claim that Saudi counterterrorism operations started three months ago with preemptive raids on suspected Al-Qaeda cells and hundreds of arrests, Al-Turki said, “No such arrests were made.”