Well, let's see, the Kuwaitis, Filipinos and now the Saudis are financing terrorism
Saudis financing terror: report
From correspondents in New York
October 18, 2002
news.com.au
WASHINGTON'S efforts to stem the flow of terrorist funding will not be enough to protect US security unless it confronts Saudi Arabia on al-Qaeda financing, foreign policy experts have warned.
"After an initially robust attempt to curtail financing for international terrorism, the Bush administration's current efforts are strategically inadequate to assure the sustained results we need to protect US security," a report by the Council on Foreign Relations says.
It continues that "for years, Saudi officials have turned a blind eye" to the problem of individuals and charities based in Saudi Arabia providing most of al-Qaeda's funds.
The task force claims that, as the Bush administration tries to gain Saudi support ahead of a potential strike on Iraq, it is tacitly allowing Saudi funding of al-Qaeda which, it says, poses an even greater risk to the United States.
"The Bush administration appears to have made a policy decision not to use the full power of US influence and laws now on the books to pressure other governments to more effectively combat terrorist financing."
The report urges the US administration to rethink a proposed "second phase" that would rely "more on foreign leadership and less on blocking orders" - despite that being the most powerful US tool against the problem.
Saudi Arabia denied the report's findings, saying it was an "opinion" that was based on "false and inconclusive information".
The kingdom, along with the five other Gulf Co-operation Council members, pledged after the September 11 suicide hijackings to co-operate with Washington and the United Nations in freezing accounts of suspected individuals and groups.
"Government officials who are privy to current law enforcement efforts know and appreciate the close co-operation the United States and Saudi Arabia have in the war on terrorism," Saudi Ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan said.
"The task force is clearly out of touch with current activities."
Prince Bandar underlined that Saudi Arabia had worked to freeze "dozens of bank accounts", worth nearly $US70 million ($127.85 million) in assets over the past year, as well as instituting new regulations on charitable giving and spending.
Agence France-Presse |
