SAUDI ARABIA: 1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 006031





S/CT FOR REAP



E.O.12356: OADR

TAGS: PTER

SUBJECT: SAUDI ARABIA: 1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT



REF: STATE 286744



1. (U) SAG POLICY HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE THE ISSUANCE

OF THE LAST TERRORISM REPORT. THE SAG IS PRIMARILY

CONCERNED WITH PREVENTING TERRORIST INCIDENTS DURING THE

HAJJ, AND IS ALSO ALERT TO POTENTIAL IRANIAN- AND

IRAQI-SPONSORED TERRORISM.



2. (U) THE SAG DID NOT EXTRADITE OR REQUEST THE

EXTRADITION OF TWO ETHIOPIANS WHO HIJACKED A SAUDIA

AIRLINE FLIGHT FROM JEDDAH TO ADDIS ABABA AND FORCED IT

TO LAND IN NAIROBI ON MARCH 8. THE SAG DID NOT

EXTRADITE OR REQUEST THE EXTRADITION OF AN ETHIOPIAN WHO

HIJACKED AN ETHIOPIAN AIRFLINES FLIGHT FROM JEDDAH AND

FORCED IT TO LAND IN SANA'A, YEMEN ON APRIL 25. IT WAS

REPORTED THAT IN BOTH INCIDENTS THE HIJACKERS WERE BEING

DEPORTED AFTER ENTERING SAUDI ARABIA ILLEGALLY OR

ILLEGALLY OVERSTAYING THEIR PILGRIMAGE VISAS, AND NOT

POLITICAL TERRORISTS.



3. (C) ALTHOUGH BOTH HIJACKINGS OCCURRED OUTSIDE SAUDI

AIRSPACE, THESE TWO INCIDENTS RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE

ABILITY OF SAUDI AUTHORITIES TO DETECT AND RESPOND TO

TERRORIST INCIDENTS. SAUDI AIRPORT SECURITY WAS

INADEQUATE TO DETECT THE HIJACKING THREAT. SAUDI CIVIL

AVIATION AND DIPLOMATIC COMMUNICATIONS PROCEDURES WERE

INADEQUATE IN RESPONDING TO THE INCIDENTS; THE SAUDI

GOVERNMENT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MARCH 8 INCIDENT WAS IN

PROGRESS BY U.S. EMBASSY OFFICIALS. AIRLINE SECURITY

HAS INCREASED SINCE THE INCIDENT, AND POLICIES AND

PROCEDURES TO HANDLE TERRORIST INCIDENTS ALREADY EXIST.

HOWEVER, THE RELEVANT SAUDI MINISTRIES AND AGENCIES DID

NOT FOLLOW THEIR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN EITHER CASE,

WHICH RAISES QUESTIONS WHETHER SAUDI FORCES WILL PERFORM

BETTER IN FUTURE HIJACKINGS.



4. (C) REPORTS OF "FRIENDLY-FIRE" INJURIES AND

CASUALTIES BY THE SAUDI ANTI-TERRORIST POLICE SQUAD

DURING A RECENT NON-TERRORIST HOSTAGE-TAKING RAISE

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SAUDI ABILITY TO RESPOND

APPROPRIATELY TO FUTURE TERRORIST HOSTAGE INCIDENTS (SEE

SEPTEL).



5. (U) THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT REVOKED THE CITIZENSHIP OF

OSAMA BIN LADIN, A SAUDI KNOWN TO SUPPORT EXTREMIST

GROUPS AND SUSPECTED OF FINANCING TERRORISM IN YEMEN,

SUDAN, AFGHANISTAN, EGYPT, LEBANON, AND THE OCCUPIED

TERRITORIES. MINISTRY OF INTERIOR OFFICIALS SAID THAT

BIN LADEN'S CITIZENSHIP WAS REVOKED BECAUSE HE HAD

FAILED TO FOLLOW GOVERNMENT DIRECTIVES TO RETURN TO

SAUDI ARABIA TO ANSWER CHARGES AND BECAUSE OF HIS

"IRRESPONSIBLE ACTIVITIES WHICH CONTRADICTED THE

KINGDOM'S INTERESTS AND HARMED ITS RELATIONS WITH

SISTERLY COUNTRIES." BIN LADEN IS BANNED FROM

RE-ENTERING THE KINGDOM.



6. (U) THERE WERE SEVERAL REPORTS THAT THE SAG IS OR

HAS BEEN FUNDING TERRORIST GROUPS IN EGYPT, ALGERIA AND

ISRAEL. THERE WERE ALSO REPORTS THAT THE INTERNATIONAL

ISLAMIC RELIEF ORGANIZATION, A SAUDI-GOVERNMENT-

SPONSORED ORGANIZATION, WAS FINANCING EXTREMIST MUSLIM

SECESSIONIST GROUPS IN THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES. POST

HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM ANY LINKS BETWEEN THE SAUDI

GOVERNMENT AND TERRORIST GROUPS.



7. (U) SAUDI AUTHORITIES HAVE REPEATEDLY STATED THAT

THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT DOES NOT FUND TERRORIST GROUPS, AND

THAT NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PRIVATE

VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS MUST OBTAIN FORMAL GOVERNMENT

AUTHORIZATION TO COLLECT CONTRIBUTIONS FOR DOMESTIC OR

INTERNATIONAL CAUSES. ON OCTOBER 26, THE SAUDI

GOVERNMENT ISSUED A STATEMENT CONDEMNING TERRORISM,

ESPECIALLY TERRORIST OPERATIONS THAT HINDER THE MIDDLE

EAST PEACE PROCESS AND TRY TO DISTURB THE SECURITY OF

THE REGION.





WELCH