Saudis say al Qaeda targeting France

Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux said on Sunday that French had been warned by Saudi Ara that al Qaeda was targeting Europe and especially France. "Several hours or days ago, there was a new message from the Saudis that said al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was without doubt active or planning to be active in Europe, especially France," he told French radio RTL. "This is not about overestimating the threat or underestimating it," he said. "I am indicating, based on all these elements, that the threat is real." Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), an arm of al Qaeda thought to include Yemenis and Saudis, has stepped up attacks on Yemeni and Western targets since it claimed a failed U.S. airliner bombing in December.

Impoverished Yemen, which is struggling to end a civil war in the north and a separatist rebellion in the south, is trying with U.S. help to crush AQAP, which has been based in Yemen since 2006, when Saudi Arabia mounted a counter-terrorism drive against its Saudi arm. Hortefeux's remarks indicated that the new warning was not connected with the heightened alert in France in late September based on a tip-off that a female suicide bomber was planning to attack its transport system. A police source told Reuters at that time that the information about the threatened attack had come from Algeria.

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Saudi Arabia gives Israel clear skies to attack Iranian nuclear sites

From the Times Online website comes the news that Saudi Arabia has given Israel the 'green light' to use its airspace to attack Iran's nuclear sites if they so choose. Apparently they hate the Shi'a regime there as much as the Israeli's do. This should prove to be an interesting if unconventional alliance to remove or hobble a common problem. Well they do say that "an enemy of my enemy is my friend!" But it could also stir up trouble in the Middle Eastern diaspora in western countries if any attack takes place. Something to watch out for.

"Saudi Arabia has conducted tests to stand down its air defences to enable Israeli jets to make a bombing raid on Iran’s nuclear facilities. In the week that the UN Security Council imposed a new round of sanctions on Tehran, defence sources in the Gulf say that Riyadh has agreed to allow Israel to use a narrow corridor of its airspace in the north of the country to shorten the distance for a bombing run on Iran. To ensure the Israeli bombers pass unmolested, Riyadh has carried out tests to make certain its own jets are not scrambled and missile defence systems not activated. Once the Israelis are through, the kingdom’s air defences will return to full alert.

“The Saudis have given their permission for the Israelis to pass over and they will look the other way,” said a US defence source in the area. “They have already done tests to make sure their own jets aren’t scrambled and no one gets shot down. This has all been done with the agreement of the [US] State Department." Sources in Saudi Arabia say it is common knowledge within defence circles in the kingdom that an arrangement is in place if Israel decides to launch the raid. Despite the tension between the two governments, they share a mutual loathing of the regime in Tehran and a common fear of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “We all know this. We will let them [the Israelis] through and see nothing."

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Saudi Arabian government fears Al-Qaeda disguises

Saudi Arabia fears members of Al-Qaeda may disguise themselves as journalists and use camera equipment to hide bombs in order to target government dignitaries and state guests. According to the English language daily, Asharq Al-Awsat, government warnings are expected to lead to increased security procedures and rigorous inspection of journalists covering official events. In March Saudi Arabia announced that more than 100 people had been arrested in connection with an alleged Al-Qaeda suicide plot to blow up oil installations. Saudi interior ministry spokesman Major General Mansour al-Turki stressed the need for media representatives to carry credentials identifying them as journalists while on duty.

Media sources monitoring Al-Qaeda believe it may use the media in order to achieve its objectives. Several journalists from the Arab daily, al-Watan, are being protected by police since their editorial office came under fire by presumed Islamic militants. Saudi Arabia said in March it had foiled several planned attacks on oil installations with the arrest of 113 suspected Al-Qaeda militants.

Many of the suspects had come to Saudi Arabia on visas to visit holy sites or by sneaking across its borders, but wanted to join and organise attacks, the interior ministry said at the time. Saudi Arabia has taken a strong stance in pursuing militants since a series of attacks inside the country that began in May 2003. The country is the birthplace of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and home to 15 of the hijackers who targeted the United States on 11 September 2001.

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