- The CIA has traced transfers of tens of millions of dollars
from the Saudis to Al Qaida over the last year, U.S. officials and congressional
sources said.
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- The key backers of Al Qaida are said to be 12 prominent
Saudi businessmen " all of whom have extensive business and personal
connections with the royal family. These include ties to such ministers
as Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Interior Minister
Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz and Riyad Governor Prince Salman.
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- In July, the <http://216.26.163.62/2002/ss_saudis_08_06.html>Rand
Corporation delivered a briefing the Defense Policy Board which warned
that the Saudi royal family has grown dependent on Islamic insurgency groups
linked to Al Qaida. The Saudis spend billions of dollars in supporting
anti-Western religious activities throughout the world, Middle East Newsline
reported.
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- The CIA has tracked the flow of the funds of the 12 businessmen
and have urged U.S. allies in Africa, Asia and Europe to freeze the assets
of the Saudis. So far, no action is said to have been taken.
-
- On Tuesday, officials said the National Security Council
has discussed a plan to pressure Saudi Arabia into ending the flow of funds
to Al Qaida. They said one proposal, which has not yet been approved, calls
for a U.S. ultimatum that would give the kingdom 90 days to crack down
on Al Qaida or face unilateral U.S. action. Officials would not elaborate
what this action would involve.
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- "The facts are not in dispute," a congressional
source familiar with the CIA investigation said. "The CIA has briefed
key congressional committees on the Saudi violation of its promises to
stop funding to Al Qaida. The argument between the administration and Congress
concerns what do we do now."
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- The United States relayed the names of the businessmen
to Riyad in February. But officials and congressional sources said the
kingdom took no action against them.
-
- ABC News identified one of the businessman as Yassin
Al Kadi. He was described as a multi-millionaire involved in banking, chemicals,
diamonds and real estate.
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- "I fear that many people in the royal family or
people close to the royal family have been aiding and abetting terrorists,
wittingly or unwittingly," Sen. Richard Shelby, an Alabama Republican
and a leading member of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, said.
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- "The president believes that Saudi Arabia has been
a good partner in the war against terrorism," White House spokesman
Ari Fleischer, who confirmed the council's discussions, said. "But
even a good partner like Saudi Arabia can do more in the war against terrorism.
And that involves the financial front, diplomatic front."
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- Earlier, Treasury Undersecretary Jimmy Gurule told the
Senate Judiciary Committee that Saudi Arabia has agreed to establish an
oversight committee on Islamic charities. But Gurule acknowledged that
the United States will not have any influence on this panel.
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- A report by the New York-based Council of Foreign Relations
said Al Qaida's global fundraising network leans heavily on Saudi Arabia.
The report said Al Qaida's network is built upon a foundation of charities,
nongovernmental organizations, mosques, web sites, intermediaries, facilitators
and banks and other financial institutions. Some donors are aware that
their money will fund Al Qaida attacks, the report said.
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- Others donate money to legitimate humanitarian efforts,
but the money is nonetheless diverted to Al Qaida.
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- "For years, individuals and charities based in Saudi
Arabia have been the most important source of funds for Al Qaida,"
the report said. "And for years, Saudi officials have turned a blind
eye to this problem."
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- Al Qaida channels funds through banks, Islamic banks
and money changers, the report said. The movement also employs trade in
gold and other other commodities to move and store value.
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- The organization, which began in the late 1980s, was
established by Osama Bin Laden through the use of Saudi funds funneled
to Islamic insurgents fighting Soviet troops in Afghanistan. Al Qaida's
financial network was maintained when the organization moved from Saudi
Arabia to Sudan, and then Afghanistan.
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- "Al Qaida differs from traditional, state-sponsored
terrorist groups in one critical way: it is financially robust," the
report said. "Having developed multiple sources of support, it is
free from the control of any government and able on its own to maintain
its organizational infrastructure, communications systems, training programs,
and operations. As such, it historically has been able to operate from
failed or dysfunctional states."
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